Two Brothers Two Nations
by TheSapphireRainAlchemist
Summary: America And Canada Head off to Hogwarts; England's Magic school! What adventure awaits the two brothers? and can they keep thier secret, a secret? HP Book 1 *T because it's Hetalia* *No pairings; Can't write romance to save my life !*
1. Sneak Peak

The Two Brothers; Two nations

Prologue

"His name's Scabbers and he's useless" Ron stated, holding a rat that was trying to squirm out of his hands; "He Hardly ever wakes up, Percy got an owl from my dad for being made a perfect, but they couldn't aff - I mean I got Scabbers instead." The now pink eared Ron finished, embarrassed from talking so much.

Harry was about to say something- in attempt to cheer Ron up, Harry didn't see anything wrong with not being able to afford an owl, just a few months ago he had never had any money of his own – But he was interrupted to the compartment door being literally **slammed** open.

"C-MATTHEW!" The blonde boy yelled.

"Bloody hell? Could you loud any louder?" Ron asked rubbing his ears.

"Sure I can; But that's completely not the point dude, you see im just look in' for my bro matt, he was by me a second ago and now he's just totally vanished!" The blonde boy said in a fast, one breath rant.

Harry looked at the strange boy; he wore a dark brown jacket, a light brown button up shirt and jeans, he had blue eyes and glasses; his hair was blonde and had a cowlick at the front.

"Well guess he's totally not in here, so im gunna go check somewhere else okay dudes?" And the strange boy slammed the compartment door closed; leaving the two first years to wonder what exactly just happened.

"What do you think that was about?" Ron asked his friend harry.

"No Idea."

(Okay so this is a really quick peek at what im gunna be working on! Im gunna re-read the harry potter book a few times *Which takes me an hour or two* and make LONGER chapters! I hate only putting a paragraph it annoys me lol. So expect Much longer paragraphs, And please if Characters seem to OOC let me now so I can fix it =.= b See ya later!


	2. Chapter Two: Brothers

Two Brothers; Two Nations

Chapter One: The Brothers.

Almost forgot!

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER OR HETALIA!

It was about half past twelve when there was a great clattering noise coming from the corridor, there was a smiling, dimpled women who slid back there compartment door; "Anything from the trolley?" She asked.

Ron's ears went pink as he muttered something about packing a sandwich; Harry on the other hand, was staring at the trolley in awe; he had never tasted many sweets before, deciding to get something Harry went into the corridor; but bumped into something.

"Sorry about that eh?" A whispering voice apologized.

Harry looked at the Boy, It was the one from before harry thought and then looked at the… Polar bear?

"His name is Kunajiro… I think…" The boy whispered. (A/N )

"Who?" The bear asked; and the boy seemed to pale slightly, as he mumbled into the bears fur.

"Aren't you the one who was yelling in our compartment earlier?" Ron asked as he poked his head through the compartment door.

"No, I'm pretty sure that was Alfred, my brother eh?" The boy answered quietly.

Ron and harry exchanged a glance.

"Anything from the trolley?" The women asked; still waiting.

"No thank you, I still need to find my brother eh?" The boy then wondered away.

Ron watched the boy walk away and then returned to his seat where Scabbers was still sleeping; Harry looked at the trolley, he was ready to buy some mars bars, but there wasn't any, instead there was a whole variety of tasty looking treats; chocolate frogs, every flavoured beans, Pumpkin pasties, cauldron cakes and liquorice wands, along with a ton of other strange sweets. Harry, not wanting to miss out on anything, bought one of everything and payed eleven silver sickles and seven bronze Kuntz.

When Harry returned with his hands full of sweets Ron stared at him wide eyed; "Hungry are you?" He asked as Harry sat down, "Starving." Harry said taking a bite of a Pumpkin pastry; And Ron took out his sandwich.

"I'll swap you for one of those." Harry said.

"You don't want these… Their dry." Ron said slightly embarrassed.

"Go on, take some!" Harry said happily; Giving Ron a pile of sweets, Harry never got to have sweets, let alone share them; it made Harry happy to have a friend and be able to share.

"So do you think that kid was the one the other was looking for?" Ron asked Harry.

"If so, then that must have been, Matt… Matthew right?" Harry asked Ron, who nodded.

Harry finished unwrapping a chocolate frog that jumped onto the side of the window in their compartment; "It isn't real is it?" Harry asked watching the frog.

Ron just laughed; "Of course not! Their enchanted." He explained.

*Time Skip*

The door swung open at once. A tall, black haired witch with emerald green robes stood there, she looked very stern; making Harry think she was not someone to cross.

"The Firs' Years, Professor McGonagall." Hagrid said.

"Thank you Hagrid, I will take them from here." She replied as she pulled the door wide, the entrance hall was so big you could have fitted the Dursleys' house in it.

They followed the professor through the entrance to another big set of doors; "Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall said; "The start of year banquet is about to begin, but before you take your seats you must first be sorted. " A few students nodded, some looked pale. "The Four houses are Gryffindor; house of the brave; Hufflepuff; house of the loyal; Ravenclaw; house of the Intelligent and Slytherin; house of the cunning. While you are here at Hogwarts you will earn house points for triumphs and you will lose house points for any rule-breaking. The house with the most house points at the end of the year will win the House Cup." The professor explained; "I shall return when we are ready for you."

"How exactly do they sort you into houses?" Harry asked nervously to Ron.

"Some sort of test I think, Fred says it hurts a lot, I think he was only joking though."

Harry's heart gave a horrible jolt; A test? In front of the entire school? He didn't know any magic yet? He looked around nervously and everyone else looked terrified to, Except that one kid who yelled on the train, he was talking to no on- he was talking to his brother; why was it so hard to see that kid?

Harry waited nervously for the Professor to come back; then something happened that made him jump a foot into the air.

"What the -?"

Harry looked around to see about twenty or more ghosts float through the wall.

"AHH! MATTIE! GHOSTS!" The loud boy from earlier shouted, jumping behind his brother, who just sighed, though he looked also slightly pale. A few kids, Like Malfoy, Laughed at the loud boy, who was now paler then the ghost's themselves.

"New Students!" one of the Ghosts exclaimed, introducing herself as the Fat Friar.

"About to be sorted I suppose?"

A few people nodded without saying something, the loud boy was hiding behind his brother staring wide eyed at the ghost.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff, My old house you know." The Friar said as Professor McGonagall returned.

"Move along now." The professor told the ghosts; "The sorting Ceremony's about to start; Now form a line and follow me." She told the first years.

Harry walked behind the two brothers and next to him Was Ron, Hermione; a girl from the train who was looking for Neville's frog; was behind them.

Harry looked at the ceiling with wide eyes, the candles floated on thin air, and the ceiling showed the sky.

"It's bewitched to look like that; I've read about it in Hogwarts: A history." Hermione told them in a matter-of-factly voice.

Harry kept looking at it, it was hard to even think about there even being a ceiling there.

Harry looked around as they made it to the front, Ron looked Nervous, and so did Hermione, The two brothers were talking quietly, well the one with the polar bear was.

Professor McGonagall Put what on the stool and harry started to wonder if they had to pull a rabbit from it.

But to Harry's surprise, the hat opened its _mouth_ and began to _sing._

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat the me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts sorting hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The sorting hat can't see

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave of heart,

Their Daring, nerve and chivalry

Set Gryffindor's apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true

And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

If you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning

Will always find there kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin,

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folk use any means

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (Though I have none)

For I'm a thinking cap~!

The whole hall bursted into cheers and applaud when the hat finished it's song. Harry couldn't help but notice how pale the two brothers where, everyone else seemed less worried about being sorted now, except them, and maybe Ron and Neville.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward holding a piece of parchment; "When I call your name you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted.

"Abbott, Hannah!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Brocklehurst, Mandy!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Brown, Lavender!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Bulstrode, Millicent!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Finnigan, Seamus!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Granger, Hermione!"

"GRYFFINDOR!" Harry heard Ron groan

"Jones, Alfred!"

A/N I know his name is Kumajirou, but Canada can never remember his name and the bear can't remember his right? If I'm wrong please correct me lol.

Hahaha Cliff hanger kind of… ok I have a poll on my account for anyone who wants to vote what house Canada and America should be in~! Or you can just comment/Review who you want either way I'll add both up~! =. =b ALSO should I put it in America's view, Canada's or keep it in Harry's? Seeya!


	3. Chapter Three: A Heros View

Two Brother's Two Nations

Chapter 2: A Hero's Perspective.

"Jones, Alfred!" professor McGonagall called.

Alfred stepped eagerly to the stool; the ghost's weren't here at the moment so he was feeling better; but what had been worrying Him and Matthew was the hat, if it can see all?

As Alfred sat down the professor put the sorting hat on his head, and that hat began.

"Curious… What are you?" The Hat asked calmly.

"I'm a Hero!" Alfred thought happily.

"No… You've been around for quite some time haven't you…" the Hat continued.

"Ur?" Alfred began to think of a cover story

"No need America, I can read your thoughts;" Alfred made a strange noise; "You won't tell anyone right dude?" Alfred thought to the hat.

"Of course not! I am a very trustworthy hat, thank you very much." The Hat replied.

"You are quite cunning… But you'd do anything for those you care about… You are also are very brave and strong…" The Hat continued; "Better be… GRYFFINDOR!" Alfred took of the hat and placed it on the stool; he then went to his new house and waited impatiently for Matthew's turn and for the sorting to be over.

"Neville Longbottom." Professor McGonagall called and Alfred watched Neville make his way to the stool and Hat, the hat shouted Gryffindor and Alfred cheered loudly with the rest of his new housemates.

Who's Perspective?

"Malfoy, Draco." As soon as Malfoy was called up he swaggered forward, before the hat even was completely on his head it shouted; "SLYTHERIN!"

Matthew couldn't help but wonder if the hat would now about them, it didn't seem to know yet but what if it did and blew there cover?

A few more names where called but Matthew wasn't paying attention; He could see His brother chatting loudly with some Gryffindor's, and Grinning happily. Matthew smiled.

"Potter Harry!" Matthew wasn't paying attention until the hall went uncomfortably silent; then people began to whisper, Matthew looked around and saw it was the boy who he had bumped into earlier, that was the boy England- Arthur had told them about.

"Gryffindor!" There was a very loud eruption of cheers at the Gryffindor table.

The Canadian was still patiently waiting when There was only three left.

"Weasley, Ron!" Ron was a shade of pale green when he walked up nervously, and the hat shouted;

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Williams, Matthew." Matthew went up to the stool nervously and sat down, ignoring the murmurs of; "Wasn't he already sorted?"

"Just like your brother I see… You've been around for quite some time." The Hat started, but before Matthew could ask anything the hat continued; "I know you are Canada and your Brother America; your secret is safe with me." The Hat then changed the subject; "Quite a quiet one, tired of being forgotten and mistaken for your brother, but there is an obvious loyalty to your brother you have."

"Better be… HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat shouted.

Matthew couldn't help but smile at his brother, he was at the Gryffindor table cheering and shouting; while the rest had confused looks on their faces; Matthew mad his way quietly to the Hufflepuff table, and sat next to someone named Hannah.

"Why do you have a polar bear?" She asked and Matthew shrugged; "I never leave him anywhere eh?"

"What's his name?" She said looking at the polar bears eyes.

"Kiromji I think…Eh?" Matthew smiled at his bear.

"Who?" And immediately about 6 students turned to face the bear.

Matthew's face was flushed of all colour, and he smiled sheepishly, he then mumbled to the bear, so only he could hear; "I'm Canada…"

For the rest of the meal Poor Canada was completely forgotten about… almost.

A Hero's Perspective

Alfred sat next to a red haired boy named Ron Weasley, and was poking a scone with a sour look on his face.

"What's wrong mate?" Ron asked curiously.

"Last time I had these things they tasted like petrified couch stuffing." He mumbled, earning a strange look from Ron; "How would you know that?"

America smiled and shrugged; "Are there any Hamburgers?" to which he only received a few students shaking their heads; "No matter! A hero always comes prepared!" He shouted loudly pulling about five burgers out of his pockets.

"That does look Good…" a voice said behind Alfred, talking to Harry.

"Well dude why don't cha have some then?" Alfred said loudly and turned around only to see a pale white, translucent…

"GHOST! MATTIE!" And with that the brave Gryffindor Alfred ran to the Hufflepuff table and jumped next to his brother.

"Calm down Alfred eh?" The Canadian said quietly.

"Dude HE WAS TOATALLY RIGHT THERE! A GHOST!" Alfred yelled.

"The Ghost's here are harmless eh?" Matthew said.

"Except maybe the Bloody Baron." A Hufflepuff nearby stated and Alfred stopped shaking;

"What?" Alfred asked in a small voice.

"Yeah that ghost at the Slytherin table!"

"No one knows why he's covered in Blood."

"I heard-"

"I'M MAKING A STRATIGECT RETREAT! I AM NOT RUNNING!" Alfred yelled as he ran out of the Great Hall followed by his brother. The whole hall was silent for a minute, and then they continued to eat.

*Outside the Great Hall*

"I don't get why Arthur has those ghosts' in this damn school! It's totally not cool dude!" Alfred Complained.

"They're not going to do anything eh?" Mathew tried to calm Arthur down.

"Hey Alfred!" Ron shouted at America.

"Yea what's up Dude?" The calmed down Alfred asked.

"We have to go to the common room now." Ron said pointing to Percy who was getting the rest of the first years rounded up.

"Okay dude! Seeya later Matthew!" Alfred shouted and followed Ron.

"Who's Matthew?" Ron asked.

"My Brother of course!" Alfred stated, and Ron remembered; "oh…"

Another chapter yay~! Please tell me if they seem OOC! I'll post the next chapter tomorrow most likely, I have nothing else to do this weekend lol… =. =b see ya later.


	4. Chapter four: The Potions Master G&S

Two Brothers; Two Nations

Chapter 4: The Potions Master Gryffindor and Slytherin

Sorry I forgot again DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER OR HETALIA!

Alfred was still not getting used to the ghosts, especially when he was trying to open a door and a ghost floats through it. He was also annoyed at Peeves the Poltergeist, who was always sneaking up behind Alfred and pulling the back of his hood, and as soon as Alfred would turn around and see nothing, he would look back where he was going only to see peeves' face.

He was surprised he hadn't gotten in trouble with filch, seeing how he managed to break a few vases because of peeves…

History of magic was the worst class invented and Alfred refused to ever go near that classroom, who lets a ghost teach a class anyway? Besides Alfred thought; "I know enough about History."

Herbology wasn't too bad except all they did was study plants. Not what a hero would do. The Charms teacher was alright, but always gave him a confused look. Transfiguration was alright as well but it was boring to listen to the speeches or as she called them Lectures.

Defence against the dark arts was just… Sad. Professor Quirrlle Had Garlic all over his room and it smelt terrible.

Alfred had mostly been hanging around Harry and Ron, because whenever he was alone the ghosts All seemed to like scaring him (well, that's what he thought anyway)

"What Do we have today?" Harry asked.

"F'' P't'n.s S…p" Alfred said chewing on his pile of hamburgers.

"What?"

"''St, tns' pe'." Alfred said again slurping his soda.

"First are potions with Snape." Ron answered Harry's confused look.

"Double potions, with Slytherin." Alfred added.

"Snape Favours them, wish McGonagall Favoured us." Ron continued.

"Hey harry Dude- Isn't that your owl?" Alfred asked as Hedwig flew to the table. Dropping a letter and stealing a bite of a scone.

"Hey Ron can I borrow a quill?" Harry asked looking up from his letter; "Sure."

The three made their way to the to the dungeons and Alfred shivered.

"Are you scared?" Ron poked Alfred.

"Scared? How can a Hero like me be scared? HAHAHA!" Alfred started very loudly then added; "But it is creepy, look at those!" Alfred pointed at the pickled animals floating in glass jars around the walls.

Ron and Harry Both nodded.

Snape's classroom was cold and dark, not to mention it gave off a creepy feeling; Snape started to do attendance when he got to Harry's name and he stopped; "Harry Potter… Our new - Celebrity." Draco and his friends sniggered and Alfred, who was sitting behind Harry and Ron- next to Hermione, was puzzled; wasn't the teacher supposed to be like the hero of a class? But then again from what Harry and Ron had said- that seemed unlikely.

Once Snape finished reading the names he looked at the class with cold black eyes; "You are here to learn the subtle art of potion making, there will be no foolish wand waving in my class, I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death – if you aren't a bunch of dunderheads like I usually teach.

Alfred was starting to get annoyed.

"Potter!" Snape snapped; "What would I get if I added powder of asphodel to an infusion of worm wood?

Alfred was confused; since when did they start a pop quiz? Harry looked stumped as well, along with Ron. Hermione had her hand held high.

"I don't know sir." Harry replied.

"Tut, Tut. Seems fame isn't everything." Snape said in a mocking voice; and ignored Hermione's hand.

"Let's try again then Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me bezoar?"

"Pff. Bees don't roar." Alfred thought.

"I don't know sir." Harry replied.

"Once more," Snape started ignoring Hermione who was almost standing up now.

Alfred decided to ignore the rest of the questions Snape was asking, it all seemed ridiculous, everything and every word related to magic sounded ridiculous, there was even a spell called Ridiculous! Why did England have to ask him to go to this school? And why on earth did he accept? He knew why Canada came… Alfred was soon snapped out of his thoughts as Hermione started scolding him for daydreaming, he wasn't daydreaming of course, he was thinking.

Harry and Ron where partners, Alfred and Hermione were partners and Neville and Seamus were partners; Harry and Ron's potion was… Alright, Hermione and Alfred's a tiny bit better, Neville and Seamus' a disaster. They were supposed to be making a potion to cure boils, Neville managed to melt the cauldron and everyone was on their seats, Hermione stared at the ground worrying and Alfred simply stated; "Don't worry! I'm the Hero; and I know ju-"Alfred started but stopped when the professor used a spell to clean the potion of the floor with a flick of the rest.

Okay maybe that magic stuff… wasn't so ridiculous.

I keep thinking the characters are OOC (they always seem like that when I write) So please tell me if they are and what I can do to make it better; Next chapter takes place when this chapter did; Transfiguration Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs.


	5. Chapter five: Transfiguration As a chair

Two Brothers; Two Nations

Chapter five: Transfiguration Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs.

Matthew wasn`t having the easiest time, there was this Poltergeist named Peeves who thought he was Alfred and was always trying to scare him, He also found out his brother has ended up breaking vases whenever peeves scared him and Filch would always blame Matthew, even though Matthew was in a different house and no were near the scene, it was because peeves would find him and yell at filch, or the cat, Ms. Norris would find him; also mistaking him for his brother. Professor Quirrell`s class was full of garlic and he thought Matthew was a doppelganger whenever they did attendance (Hufflepuff had Transfiguration after Gryffindor) Professor Flitwick always gave him confused looks. And Professor Binns was possibly the only one who saw him as Matthew (Most likely because Alfred never attended that class) but that was only when he was noticed, other than that the professors always forgot about him.

The Canadian sighed as he made his way to class with Kumaji, or whatever the bears name was and entered class. They were making matches into needles; Matthew took out his wand; (Maple core, , 12 inches) and just as he was about to say the incantation a fellow Hufflepuff sat on him.

"Ah maple leaf!" He whispered.

It was half way through the lesson when the professor started attendance and up until then Matthew was apparently a very soft chair.

Matthew was able to get it on his first try (After waiting half a class) but this action went unnoticed of course.

Matthew made his way down to the great hall but just before he went through the entrance an American shouted; "HEY BRO!" He shouted, Ignoring Harry and Ron's strange looks they were giving him, and the sudden realization that came a few moments later.

"We're going to Hagrid's Dude you in?" Alfred asked loudly.

"Alright eh?" Matthew agreed.

Harry's POV Almost.

As they walked towards the Hut Ron and Harry awkwardly watched the two brothers;

Matthew, the one they kept forgetting about was throwing very weak and slow punches at Alfred's arm that was easily blocking and laughing at his brother. (A/N)

Once they got to Hagrid's cabin the two brothers where done… Fighting… And Harry knocked on the door; the first thing they heard was "Back fang, back!" Hagrid then opened the door with a huge smile and let them in, struggling to keep hold on the collar of an enormous black boarhound.

"Make yerselves at home." Hagrid said letting go of fang, who went straight to Ron and started licking his ears.

"This is Ron." Harry Introduced and Hagrid nodded; "Another Weasley, eh?" Hagrid asked.

"Hagrid?" Alfred asked.

"That's Alfred." Harry Introduced.

"yer' wanted the ask me sometin'?" Hagrid asked, and Alfred nodded; "Are you Canadian?"

"What?"

"You sounded like my brother for a second dude." Alfred stated as if it was obvious.

"Who?"

"I'm c-Matthew…" The Canadian said.

"Er sorry didn't see yer there." Hagrid apologized.

"I get that a lot eh?" Matthew sighed.

"Is that a polar bear?" Hagrid asked curiously.

"His name is kimoji…eh?" Matthew answered.

"Who?" the bear asked.

Matthew whispered something into the bear's fur and Alfred laughed loudly.

Harry and Ron were delighted to hear Hagrid call Filch an old git; "An as fer 'is cat, I'd like ter' introduce er' to fang sometime." Hagrid stated.

"HAHAHA! That cat doesn't bother me! It knows im so much of a hero that it can't turn me in!" Alfred laughed loudly remembering the broken vases.

"Actually Alfred-"Matthew started to say quietly.

"But it's kind of funny because that Filch dude is always saying I have split personalities! There's only one me and that's me! The Hero! HAHAHA!" Alfred said laughing and Matthew sighed.

The rest of the visit was pleasant for Harry, he enjoyed being with friends. And as harry Told Hagrid that he thought Snape hated him Hagrid replied the same way ron did; "He hardly likes any of his students."

"But he seems to really hate me." Harry told Hagrid.

"Rubbish!" Hagrid said; "How should he?"

Changing the subject Hagrid asked; "So Ron, how's yer Brother Charlie?"

Harry was pretty sure Hagrid was trying to change the subject.

"Would anyone like a cake?" Hagrid asked holding up some rock cakes; Alfred and Matthew shared a look of disbelief, Alfred muttering something about England rubbing off on people…

Harry turned his attention to the daily prophet lying on the table.

_**GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST**_

_Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of dark wizards or witches unknown._

_Gringotts' goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched was in fact emptied the same day._

'_But we're not telling you what was in there. So keep your noses out if you know what's good for you,' said a Gringotts' spokes goblin this afternoon._

Harry remembered Ron mentioning the breakout on the train, but not the date; "Hagrid!" Said Harry; "The break-in happened on my birthday! It might have happened when we were there!"

"Sounds like a mystery dude! And I have a plan to solve it!" Alfred started.

As Harry, Ron, Alfred and Matthew (Not that anyone besides Alfred noticed) walked back to the castle for dinner; Harry, Ron and Matthew's pockets were heavy with rock cakes they were to kind to refuse- (Alfred's response: Nu-uh dude.) Harry was lost in thought as the group continued up the stone path of stairs.

Canada's wand is maple of course and America's is oak, there national trees lol, and I made Canada's wand Unicorn tail hair and America's is Dragon Heartstring. I was going to use phoenix feathers for one of their wands but only Voldemort and Harry have phoenix feathers; because they have brother wands the phoenix hair is from Fawkes, as for Threastle's hair, that's only used in the elder wand. (That I know off) Okay again please comment/review if anyone seems too much OOC or even a little so I can fix it. I'm surprised I wrote 4 chapters today, yet it's been a year since I worked on my other fics' I think im gunna finish this one! YAY~! = . =b


	6. Chapter six: Secret Meeting

The Secret Meeting

DISCLAIMER I DO NOT OWN HETALIA OR HARRY POTTER

Okay here's another chapter! I'll most likely only post on weekdays if I don't have too much work.

And thank you guys so much for the reviews/comments! I really appreciate them!

Harry never thought he would hate someone more than he hated Dudley, well he was proved wrong when he met Draco Malfoy; and the flying lessons on Thursday was held with Slytherin and Gryffindor.

"Great, just what I always wanted, to make a fool of myself on a broomstick in front of Malfoy." Harry muttered darkly.

"You don't know you'll make a fool of yourself." Ron replied; "I know Malfoy is always bragging about Quidditch, but I bet it's all talk.

"Yeah dude, he can't beat you because your friends with the Hero!" Alfred stated happily and received a raised eyebrow from Ron.

Hermione seemed to be as nervous about flying as Neville was; This was something you couldn't learn from a book, and she had bored them all with tips from Quidditch through the ages; a book she found in the library, but she was interrupted as the post arrived.

Harry Hadn`t gotten any letters besides the note, (Which was from Hagrid) which Malfoy was quick to notice, Malfoy`s eagle owl always brought him packages of sweets. Harry however was surprised to see an actual _Eagle_ fly over to their table and land on Alfred's shoulder.

Alfred also looked surprised; "Hey dude? What are you doing all the way our here?" Alfred asked the eagle, and took the letter from the eagle. Alfred looked at the letter than over at the Hufflepuff table, where someone had a loon on their head. It was that one kid… what was his name? Was it-?

"Matthew?" Alfred answered Harry's unasked question.

"What?" Harry asked confused.

"Not 'What' Who?" Alfred explained.

"What?" Harry asked more confused.

"Matthew!" Alfred explained.

"Who?" Harry Asked puzzled at their conversation.

"Exactly!" Alfred replied.

"So what was the letter for?" Ron asked interrupting the clearly strange conversation.

"Oh; it was just a letter from Iggy." Alfred replied calmly.

"Iggy?" Ron and Harry asked.

"-My friend." Alfred answered.

A barn owl had also come to the table when delivering mail, It gave a package to Neville.

Neville opened it and inside it was a marble sized ball filled with smoke. "It's a Remebrall!" Neville exclaimed; "It changes colour when you forget something!" Neville explained as it changed; "Only thing is, I don't remember what I've forgotten."

Draco Malfoy, who was walking past the table when Neville was trying to remember what he had forgotten, snatched the Ball from his hands. Alfred, Ron and Harry Immediately jumped to their feet, Ron and Harry were half hoping for a reason to fight Malfoy, Alfred just wanted to be a Hero and help Neville; but professor McGonagall, who could spot trouble faster than any of the staff, was there in a flash.

"What's going on?"

"Malfoy's got my Remebrall, Professor."

Scowling Malfoy quickly dropped the ball back on the table; "Just looking He said and sloped away with Crabbe and Goyle behind him.

At three-thirty that afternoon Harry, Ron, Alfred and the other Gryffindor's hurried down the front steps into the grounds for their first broomstick lessons. It was a beautiful, clear and breezy day, the grass rippled under their feet as they marched to the pitch.

The Slytherins were already there, and so were twenty broom sticks laying on the ground in neat rows. Harry had heard Fred and George Weasley complain about the school brooms, saying that they started to vibrate if you flew to high, or always flew slightly to the left.

Their teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived. She had short grey hair and piercing yellow eyes like a hawk.

"Well what are you all waiting for?" She barked; "Everyone stand by a broom stick, Hurry!"

"now stick your right hand over you're broom and shout UP!"

"UP! Everyone shouted."

Harry's Broom jumped into his hand at once, it was one of the few that did along with Alfred, Hermione's only rolled over and Neville's hadn't moved at all. Harry wondered if brooms were like horses, they could sense when you were afraid, it was clear in Neville's voice that he wanted to stay on the ground.

Madame Hooch showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding of the edge, She looked at everyone's positions and corrected their grips.

"Now, on my whistle I want you to kick off the ground hard, rise a few feet and then come straight back down by leaning forwards slightly, on my whistle, three – two-"

But Neville, nervous and jumpy, and frightened of being left on the ground, pushed off hard before Madam Hooch's whistle reached her lips.

"Come back, Boy!" She shouted, but Neville was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle – twelve feet – twenty feet, Harry saw his scared white face look down at the ground falling away, saw him gasp, slip sideways off the broom and –

WHAM a thud and a nasty crack and Neville lay- on Alfred?

Hero's POV kind of.

Alfred watched poor Neville flying higher and higher, he also saw everyone else frightened; except some Slytherins, most Slytherins actually, And it was clear to Alfred there needed to be a hero as soon as Neville started to fall, Alfred dashed towards the falling student and did a baseball like slide to break Neville's fall, of course if Alfred wasn't a nation, that might have seriously injured him…

Back to you, Harry

Madam Hooch immediately went toward the two boys, first helping Neville of Alfred, and about to help Alfred up as he jumped up.

Madam Hooch examined Neville's wrist, with a face as white as his; "Broken Wrist." She stated biting her lip; "Any injuries?" She asked Alfred who shook his head and gave a thumbs up to show he was fine.

Madam Hooch, However, in all her years of teaching, did not believe him and dragged him to the hospital wing with Neville, Muttering; "No way there's nothing broken." With Alfred just grinning and shrugging; "Told you I'm fine dude!" Madam Hooch Only sighed, continuing to drag Alfred and help Neville to the hospital wing.

"Did you see his face? The great lump?" Malfoy said once The teacher was out of ear shot.

The other Slytherins joined in.

"Shut up, Malfoy. Snapped Parvati Patil.

"Sticking up for Longbottom are you?" Said Pansy Parkinson, a hard faced Slytherin girl.

"Look!" Said Malfoy, darting forward and snatching the Remebrall that was lying in the grass.

"I think I'll leave this somewhere for Longbottom to find it, how about – up in a tree?"

"Give it _here_!" Harry yelled, but Malfoy had lept onto his broomstick and taken off.

Malfoy could fly well – hovering level with the topmost branches of an oak he called; "Come and get it, Potter!"

Harry Grabbed his broom.

"No!" Hermione Granger shouted. "Madam Hooch told us not to move – you'll get us all in trouble."

Harry ignored her and kicked of his broom, blood was pounding in his ears, he soared, air rushing through his hair and his robes whipped out behind him – and in a rush of fierce joy he realised he'd found something he could do without being taught – this was easy, this was wonderful. He turned his broomstick sharply to face Malfoy in mid-air, Malfoy looked like had just been stunned.

"Give it here!" Harry called; "or I'll knock you off your broom!"

"Oh Yeah?" Said Malfoy, trying to sneer, but looked worried.

*Time skip because this is really just straight out of the book*

"For Reals Dude?" The American asked excitedly.

"You're joking!" Ron said in disbelief.

It was dinner time and Harry had just finished explain to Ron and Alfred that he was now the seeker on the Gryffindor quidditch team

(*Making Noodles* *losing motivation on chapter* *eating noodles*)

"But first years never – you must be the youngest house player in about-!" Ron exclaimed.

"A century." Harry finished.

"Dude that's totally awesome!" Alfred added, checking the time for the fifth time since dinner arrived.

"What are you checking for Alfred?" Harry asked, noticing Alfred's impatient behaviour.

Alfred seemed to jump a bit; "Nothing."

"Are you sure?" Ron asked.

"Yep. Not waiting for anything dudes, just have to be somewhere soon." Alfred replied.

"wher-?" Harry started to ask but whas interrupted.

"BOO!" A voice boomed behind Alfred.

`GHOST! STRATEGY PLAN NUMBER 28! RETREAT!" Alfred shouted and ran out of the hall; everyone paused and like every other night, continued eating.

"You'd think he'd be used to the Ghosts' by now…" Ron said.

"Or admit he's running away." Harry added.

The following takes place during the midnight duel.

America quietly got out of bed, not wanting to wake up any roommates he had to go to some room of requirement so he and Canada could have a meeting and send England the letter of progress and updates.

Alfred quietly (is that possible?) Crept down the stairs into the Gryffindor common room, surprised to see Ron and Harry down there.

"Half-past eleven." Ron muttered; "We'd better go."

"I can't believe you're going to do this, Harry." A lamp turned on and the voice belonged to Hermione, Alfred tried to creep a few steps back up the stairs; "I can see you Alfred." She snapped.

Alfred walked towards the group hands held up; "Well I've got somewhere I have to be Dudes."

"You! Go back to bed!" Ron said furiously at Hermione.

"I almost told your brother." Hermione snapped; "Percy – he's a prefect, he'd put a stop to this."

Alfred, while the three – two, were bickering decided to make his way to the portrait of the fat lady.

"Not you too!" Hermione said.

"I've got to go see my brother dude." Alfred shrugged.

"Why didn't you earlier?" Hermione asked.

"Because, A hero always waits till the last moment!"

Hermione sighed, but she wasn't going to give up easily, that was obvious.

Alfred went through the hole, Followed by Harry, Ron and Hermione, who hissed at them like an angry goose.

"Don't you care about Gryffindor? Do you only care about yourselves, I don't want Slytherin to win the house cup and you'll lose all the points I got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about switching spells."

"Go Away."

"All right but I warned you, you just remember what I said when you're on a train home tomorrow you're so –"

But what they were, they didn't find out, Hermione turned to the portrait of the fat lady to get back inside and found herself facing an empty painting.

"Now what am I going to do?" She asked shrilly.

"Well I'm the Hero and all but I made a promise, and hero's don't break promises, so Hermione go with Ron and Harry or stay here; I'll go be the hero!" And with that Alfred dashed away before anyone could object.

Alfred made his way through the Hogwarts castle, it was more like a maze, until he found where Matthew had said the room of requirement was.

"Now I just have to wai-" Alfred started

"Wait for what eh?" a canadian voice asked from beside him.

"Dude! Not cool bro! you trying' to scare me, besides dude, when did you get here? Your like a freakin' Ninja, you could totally be my sidekick!" Alfred said with a… slightly raised voice and getting of topic.

"I was here the whole time…eh." The Canadian said in a quiet voice.

"Oh sorry dude, anyway let's go!" Alfred said slightly louder.

Matthew opened the door to the room of requirement, the room looked exactly like the world conference room.

"Dude! This is awesome!" Alfred shouted.

"Sound proof to eh?" Matthew agreed.

Matthew took the seat he usually took in the original conference room, and Alfred took the one next to Matthew.

"Okay! So first way too many ghosts, Second, Bully-teachers, Third, A ghost teacher, Fourth, Slytherins!" America Stated.

"But not much out of the ordinary eh?" Canada stated.

"Besides all the magic, ghosts, magic, ghosts, magic and uhh ghosts?" America asked.

"Yes eh."

"OKAY!" America cheered taking out a burger, soda, paper and pen.

_**Iggy Dude,**_

_**Okay you're magic school needs less ghosts! Especially that peeves guy! Slytherins are rude, and that snake dude is picking mainly on Gryffindor, oh and Canada wants to write something; and before you ask dude, Canada is my brother. -America**_

_**So far everything seems as normal as it can be for a magic school, no incidents yet, Harry is on the Quidditch team and Snape seems to pick on him the most, In terms of anything threatening we haven't noticed anything yet… -Canada**_

_**P.S. What's a Wizard Duel? It sounds awesome! Harry and Ron are going to one tonight; apparently Ron is Harry's second, whatever that means. -America**_

_**Signed America and Canada**_

"That seems like a long enough report eh?" Canada said looking at the report.

"Totally dude! Now let's go back to our rooms, I'm Tired and don't feel like bumping into any ghosts!" America said loudly.

America, better known as Alfred, made his way back to the dorm, he swore he could hear peeves shouting, so he walked faster, he did notice filch wasn't lurking the halls. As Alfred made his way back he saw Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville.

"Hey dudes; why you all look like you've seen a ghost?" Alfred asked then he to, paled, "are there any ghosts here?"

The others all shook their heads, they were all panting.

"Where on earth have you all been?" The Fat lady painting asked, looking at their dressing gowns hanging off their shoulders and their flushed, sweaty faces. (except for Alfred who was now eating a burger.)

"Never mind that – pig snout, pig snout!" Panted Harry and the portrait swung forward.

"What do they think they're doing, keeping a thing like that in the school?" said Ron finally.

"what? A thing like what dude?" Alfred asked.

"A three headed dog that's what!" Ron said in a loud whisper; "If any dog needs exercise, that one does."

Hermione had finally caught her breath, and temper back.

"You don't use your eyes do you?" She snapped; "It was standing on a trap door!"

Alfred's eyes lit up like the fourth of July; "We've got ourselves a mystery gang – I mean dudes!"

My oh my! I've been writing for about 3 hours… I had nothing to do today so~! Lol next chapter may take a bit longer possibly up Wednesday maybe sooner. I need to go eat something now I finished my noodles during the world meeting scene. = . = b Also can you spot the reference to a certain cartoon Hahaha.


	7. Chapter seven: Sorting things out

Sorting things out

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER OR HETALIA!

Sorry for taking so long! I'm trying to study for my la pat test and get my science mark up! I am planning on finishing this story on the weekend~! Because this weekend I have absolutely nothing to do and no tests to study for!

Okay I am kind of ashamed of myself at the moment for not noticing this but two young adults are in first year… and nobody says anything about it… so I came up with a solution which will be told in this chapter to clear that up. They look like first years. And a big thank you to SeaweedBrainVon for pointing that out to me, seriously I don't think I would have ever noticed that! I feel like a noob. A failure of an anime fan T.T

But seriously thank you SeaweedBrainVon~!

*EDIT*

Also thank you Rose thourn for correctiong me on what wanker meant i actually thought wanker meant idiot. so i edited that part

The boy who lived and had a POV POV.

Harry was sitting at the Gryffindor table with Ron and Alfred and had just finished telling them the story about when he went to Gringotts bank, The small little package that Hagrid had took and they all were wondering what could possibly need that much protection.

"It's either really valuable or really dangerous." Ron stated.

"Or both." Harry agreed.

"Dudes we have to check this out! Since I'm the hero I'll lead the way and save the day! For real's yo!" Alfred tried to whisper like the other two but it came out slightly loud talking.

All they knew however, that it was about two inches long and without further clues, they wouldn't be able to figure it out.

Hermione and Neville showed absolutely no interest in what was being guarded. All Neville cared about was never going near the dog again.

Hermione was ignoring them now but Ron and Harry didn't mind they saw her as a bossy know-it-all so they saw this as an added bonus, Alfred however did not like being ignored so whenever Hermione was around he would be a tad bit louder. Harry and Ron just really wanted to get back at Malfoy for the midnight duel, Malfoy had challenged them to a duel and never showed up… but filch did; and lucky for them there revenge was going to be served with breakfast.

As the owls flooded the great hall everyone attention was on a long thin package being carried by six owls. Harry was just as interested in it as everyone else and was amazed when it landed in front of him. The six owls didn't even flutter away before another one dropped a letter on top. Then all the seven owls tried to take a bite of Alfred's hamburger… and you can guess how that went.

Harry opened his letter and was glad he opened the letter first;

_**DO NOT OPEN THE PARACEL AT THE TABLE.**_

_**It contains your Nimbus two thousand,**_

_**But I don't want everyone knowing you've**_

_**Got a broomstick or they'll all want one.**_

_**Oliver wood will meet you tonight on the**_

_**Quidditch pitch at seven O' clock for your **_

_**First training session.**_

_** Professor M. McGonagall.**_

Harry could barely hide his glee after he read the note and Ron, seeing this, read the note as well.

The hero's Pov

Alfred also received a letter from Arthur or better known as England.

_**Alfred**__** you SODDING GIT! I told you to make sure they didn't get into any trouble! And you say a wizard tournament? BLOODY HELL! A second is there in case the first DIES! You are lucky I cannot simply send you a howler! Did anything happen! You should have stopped them! Who was it even against! And I know who **__**Matthew **__**is! Even if I forget once in a while thank you very much! **_

"… Who put Mentos in England's coke?" America thought to himself.

_**On another note how is the spell holding up? If you or **__**Matthew**__** grown any taller, even an inch owl me at once alright? The spell should last until Christmas. Also keep a closer eye on the chosen one! See you at the holidays for now stay out of trouble. Also compared to some magic schools Hogwarts has a reasonable amount of ghosts' also compared to the size of the castle.**_

_**-Arthur Kirkland.**_

'why did he underline our human names?' Alfred thought to himself, but shrugged off the question.

"Come on Alfred let's go!" Ron said excitedly.

"Wha-?" Alfred began but Harry showed Alfred his letter from McGonagall.

"Dude!" Alfred said as he followed them out of the great hall, a Hufflepuff got up from his seat and ran over to come.

Halfway across the entrance hall they noticed it was blocked by Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy seized the package from Harry.

"H-hey! T-that's not yours!" The Hufflepuff whisper/yelled.

"And who are you?" Malfoy asked in his normal sneer.

The Hufflepuff sighed; "I'm Matthew…"

"This is a broomstick." Malfoy said with what sounded to be like a mixture of jealousy and spite. "First years aren't allowed broomsticks."

Canada left to the library sighing. He'd be noticed someday…

Meanwhile Ron couldn't resist getting some payback at Malfoy.

"It's not any old broomstick! It's a nimbus two thousand! What do you have at home Malfoy? A comet two sixty? Sure they look flashy but there not in the same league as a nimbus."

What would you know Weasley? You couldn't afford half a handle!" Malfoy snapped back; "I suppose you and your brothers have to save up twig by twig."

"Hey dude! Never bring a family into a petty fight, it's not cool dude!" Alfred said loudly.

"Petty fight?"

"Yup!"

"Not arguing I hope boys?" Professor Flitwick asked as he saw the group.

"Potters got himself a broomstick!" Malfoy said quickly.

"Yes, Yes that's right, Professor McGonagall told me she sent you one, so which model is it?" Flitwick asked.

The look on Malfoy's face was hilarious

"A Nimbus two thousand, sir." Harry answered trying not to laugh, which was even harder with Alfred; "HAHAHA~!" Dude you look more surprised than Iggy when he had a *Badass star stuck in his head!"

"You can't get a star stuck in your head." Hermione, who was walking nearby interrupted.

"HAHAHA~! IT WAS HILARIOUS~!"

"But it's physically impossible to get a star stuck in your he-." Hermione coutinued but was interrupted.

"HAHAHA~!"

Hermione decided to continue ignoring him and gave a disapproving look at the package that was now in Harry's hands. Then she left for the library.

"Oh dudes! I almost forgot me and Mattie are hanging out today see ya later!" Alfred said almost… seriously?

And with that Alfred ran to the library, but slowed down at the door, and he walked in, the library was really huge and Alfred saw Hermione sitting at the table alon- Opps.

"Hey Mattie there you are dude!"

"Eh? What is it Alfred?" Matthew asked looking up from the books he was studying from.

"Iggy sent us a letter!" Alfred replied; "Should we go back to that place?"

"Where's the letter?" Matthew asked and Alfred shoved it in his face. Matthew leaned back in his chair to be able to read it.

"I don't think we can just send a friendly hello eh?" Matthew suggested reading the letter; nothing big has happened since that event.

"Who is 'Iggy' Anyway?" Hermione asked.

"A friend." Alfred and Matthew replied.

Alfred was kind of annoyed to see Hermione staring intently at the paper he slamed on the table and was about to write on.

"You didn't need to slam it down; you need to stop being so violent Alfred…" Matthew began.

"Huh?" Alfred asked stopping the clicking of his _pen_

"Nothing" Matthew sighed.

"To Iggy…" Alfred began.

"You should probably put his name there eh." Matthew sai  
"To Artie." Alfred scribbled as he talked.

"Can I see that pen?" Matthew asked.

"Sure dude why? Alfred asked throwing the pen to Matthew, who was sitting right next to him…

"To Arthur." Matthew wrote, rubbing his now bruised nose.

"You're no fun Mattie." Alfred pouted.

Hermione was just watching them curiously.

_**Arthur,**_

_**Nothing really important, just saying hello, not much is new here and it's almost Halloween, I'm studying with my friend Hermione right now. How are things over there? And what happened at the last meeting, did we miss anything?"**_

_** -Matthew**_

_**Dude! Remember that time you got a star stuck in your head? That was so funny! You seriously should have seen your face, for reals dude it was hilarious.**_

_** -Alfred**_

"Well I'll go send this and see ya later!" Alfred as he slammed an American flag stamp on an envelope, putting the letter inside it.

"You and your brother seem nothing alike." Hermione said after Alfred left.

"Eh, you'd be surprised how many times I'm mistaken for him…" Matthew said with a sad smile.

Poor Canada T.T my home and native land~! O Canada, I stand on guard for you~!

*Remember that one episode? "Dude, Britain totally has a star stuck in his head that's so badass!"

Sodding: vulgar. Used to express one's anger or annoyance at someone or something.

Git: An unpleasant or contemptible person


	8. Chapter eight: Unanswered questions

Just Trollin'

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER OR HETALIA OR ANY REFRENCES!

Harry Potter's Pov

It was Halloween morning and everyone woke up to the delicious smell of baking pumpkin, even better Professor Flitwick told the class he thought they were ready to start making things fly; something had all been dying to try since they saw Neville's frog zoom around the class room. Professor Flitwick put the class in pairs to practice. Harry was partners with Seamus, Ron was working with Hermione, it was harder to tell who was angrier about this Ron or Hermione.

"Now don't forget the nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" Professor Flitwick squeaked, standing on top of his pile of books. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the words properly is very important, don't forget about Wizard Baruffio who said 's' instead of 'f' and ended up with a buffalo on his chest."

Surprisingly Alfred looked to be concentrating very hard; since class had started he seemed to be getting all excited, he was partners with Neville and Neville was trying to make the feather fly when Alfred was deep in thought.

The spell was very difficult, Seamus got so impatient that he prodded it with his wand and set fire to it, Harry had to put out the fire with his hat.

Alfred pointed his wand up to the sky and made an exaggerated swish and flick motion. "Swish and flick~!" And to everyone's surprise the feather actually floated-but then also burst into flames.

"Mr. Jones, you need to say the incantation while you swish and flick." Professor Flitwick explained, but he also looked surprised.

"For reals dude?" Alfred pouted, and he and Neville went back to trying to make it float, without bursting into flames.

Ron also, was not having much luck.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" Ron shouted waving his long arms like a windmill.

"You're saying it wrong." Harry heard Hermione snap. "It's wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa, make sure the gar is nice and long."

"You do it then, if you're so clever." Ron snarled.

Hermione rolled up her sleeves, flicked her wand and said; "Wingardium Leviosa!"

Their feather rose off the desk and hovered four feet above their heads.

"Oh well done!" Cried professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here, Miss Granger's done it!"

Ron had a very bad temper at the end of class.

"HAHAHA~! I can't wait to make stuff fly! Do you think that spell could make a plane fly?" Alfred wondered loudly.

"It's no wonder no one can stand her," Ron said to Harry, ignoring what Alfred said because he was in a bad mood, "She's a nightmare, honestly."

Someone knocked into harry hurrying by them. Harry caught a glimpse of her face, it was Hermione- and harry was startled to see it in tears.

"Eh! W-why do you guys have to talk behind her back like that! Aren't we all friends?" A surprisingly angry Canadian whisper/yelled, as he hurried to catch up to his upset friend. His bear even seemed a pit mad.

"I think she heard you."

"So?" Asked Ron but he looked very uncomfortable. "She must've noticed she's got no friends."

"Dudes, Ca-" Alfred started but cut himself off; "Dudes Matthew was right." He said surprisingly quiet.

"Alfred?" Harry asked a bit concerned for his hyper friend.

"What kind of Hero talks behind someone's back? Or let's someone talk behind someone's back? That's it! For now on I will be an even greater Hero! I will ask Matthew to be my sidekick! And I will also force you to apologise~!" He said now loudly again and pointed at Ron for the last part.

But Hermione didn't turn up next class, and wasn't seen all afternoon on their way to the great hall Harry, Ron and Alfred overheard Parvati Patil telling her friend Lavender that Hermione was crying in the girls' washroom and Alfred was in there trying to cheer her up.

Alfred, Ron and Harry exchanged confused looks.

"But I'm right here! There's only one hero! I will find that imposter!" Alfred shouted retreating to go find the bathrooms- a shout was heard a moment later, then a crashing vase sound and Peeves came into view a moment later looking rather pleased. And then another shout "Strategic retreat~!" as Alfred came back in view.

"Since I'm such a Hero I will allow the imposter to pretend to be me only until the feast is over because I'm feeling generous today!" Alfred said grinning with a thumbs up, but he obviously looked pale.

Ron still looked awkward about the news of Hermione, but a moment later they entered the Great Hall, where the Halloween decorations put Hermione out of their minds.

A thousand live bats fluttered from the walls to ceiling, thousands more swooped over the tables in low black clouds, and the feast appeared suddenly on golden plates.

Harry was helping himself to a jacket potato and Alfred was still chomping on hamburgers when Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall.

"Troll… in the dungeons – thought you ought to know."

He then sank to the floor in a dead faint.

There was Uproar. It took several purple firecrackers exploding from the end of Dumbledore's wand to bring silence.

"Prefects" He rumbled, "Lead your houses back to the dormitories immediately!"

Percy was in his element.

"Follow me! Stick together, first years! No need to fear the troll if you follow my orders! Stay close behind me, now. Make way, first years coming through! Excuse me, I'm a prefect!"

"Where's Alfred?" Harry asked.

"Maybe he's afraid of Trolls and made a run for it?" Ron suggested.

"How could a troll get in?" Harry asked following the group.

"Don't ask me, they're supposed to be really stupid." Ron replied.

Harry suddenly grabbed Ron's arm.

"I've just thought - Hermione."

"What about her?"

"She doesn't know about the Troll."

Ron bit his lip.

"Oh All right." He snapped; "But Percy better not see us."

Alfred F. Jones Pov

Alfred ran through the corridors trying to find the bathrooms He was starting to think his 'imposter' had to be Matthew, which meant Matthew and Hermione had no idea about the troll. Matthew would probably be alright, he can't get killed by these things, but that didn't mean he didn't worry, and Hermione was probably to upset, if the troll found them… And Alfred didn't have a clue at how good Matthew was at magic.

"There it is!" Alfred said to himself and ran into the bathroom/

"GET OUT!" A female ghost yelled.

"WRONG ONE!" Alfred retreated.

Alfred kept running through the corridors and found another bathroom, this time he snuck up to it.

"Hermione? Mattie?" He asked.

"Alfred?" A familiar voice called quietly.

"DUDE! THERE'S A FREAKEN GHOST BATHROOM!" Alfred shouted.

"Eh?" Mattie asked.

Hermione still looked upset but she was also curious.

Matthew then paled and so did Hermione as the door closed with a thump behind Alfred; Alfred jumped and slowly turned around expecting a ghost.

Hermione made a high pitched terrified scream.

"HAHAHA~! A TROLL IS NO MATCH FOR A HERO LIKE ME!" (A/N why does this remind me of Black Star?)

Harry POV.

Harry and Ron felt their hearts stop as they heard a scream and Alfred, they had just locked the troll in the girls bathroom.

Harry grabbed the doorknob and opened it, they ran inside.

Surprisingly Alfred was laughing at the troll and the troll was staring at him, Hermione was shrinking against a wall opposite looking like she was going to faint, and the Alfred look alike- Matthew Was holding tightly onto his bear trying to get Hermione to stand up.

The troll was about to swing the club at Alfred.

"Confuse it!" Harry shouted at Ron.

Ron seized a tap and threw it at the Troll.

The troll stopped mid-swing, Alfred stopped in a crouching position, it looked like he was about to jump over the club. The troll was blinking stupidly, looking around to see what had hit him, and he then saw Harry, it looked at its club hesitating and lifted his club towards Harry.

"Oi! Pea Brain!" Ron yelled from the side of the chamber and he threw a metal pipe at it.

"Oh great Idea Ron! You can be my sidekick!" Alfred shouted lifting a… stall?

Alfred lifted the whole stall and threw it at the troll with almost no effort.

Matthew face palmed, still holding tightly to his bear.

"Come on run, run!" Harry shouted at Hermione, Matthew was still trying to help her up but she was still flat against the wall, her mouth open in terror.

Harry decided to do something extremely brave and stupid. He took a great running jump and managed to fasten his arms around the troll's neck from behind.

"Ride that troll!" He heard Alfred shout.

'How can he be so calm in a moment like this?' Harry wondered to himself.

"Hermione! Eh! Come on we need to get out of here!" Matthew tried to help his friend up again.

The troll didn't notice Harry on his back but what even the troll could notice was that Harry's wand was in his nose.

Howling in pain the troll twisted and flailed it's club, with Harry hanging onto for dear life. Any second the troll was rip him off or catch him with a terrible blow with the club.

Ron pulled his wand out and he shouted the first spell that came to mind. "Wingardium Leviosa!"

The club came out of the troll's hand and floated above the head, the troll looked up and Ron made it crash down, the troll swayed on his feet for a moment before he fell flat on the floor, face first, the whole room trembled.

"Aww… that was the most exciting thing that happened…" Alfred sighed. "But that's alright because everyone is now safe thanks to the Hero!"

Hermione was finally able to speak; "Is it – dead?"

"I don't think so," said Harry. "I think it's just been knocked out." He bent down and pulled out his wand, that was now covered in a lumpy grey glue like substance.

"Dude that's disgusting."

"Ugh. Troll Bogies."

Harry wiped the wand on the troll's trousers.

A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made the five of them look up, they hadn't realized what a racket they have been making, but of course someone from downstairs must have heard the troll's roars. A moment later, Professor McGonagall had cam bursting into the room, closely followed by Snape and last was Quirrell, who took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper and sat on the stall that Alfred had thrown.

Snape bent over the Troll and McGonagall was looking at Ron, Harry and Alfred. Harry had never seen her so angry, her lips where white.

"What on earth were you thinking of?" She scolded, with cold fury in her voice. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"

Snape gave Harry a swift, piercing look and harry looked at the floor. He wished Ron would put his wand down.

"Please, Professor McGonagall – they were looking for me."

"Miss Granger!"

"I went looking for the troll because I – I thought I could deal with it on my own – you know because I've read all about them."

Ron dropped his wand. Hermione Granger. Telling a downright lie to a teacher?

"If they hadn't found me I'd be dead by now. Matthew tried to convince me to go back to the dormitories and help me when the troll came, Alfred was distracting it, Harry stuck his wand up the Trolls nose and Ron knocked it out with its own club. They didn't have time to get any help because it was about to finish me off."

Harry and Ron tried to look like this story wasn't news to them.

"Yep! Everything's fine because the Hero saved the day HAHAHA!" Alfred stated grinning.

Matthew was hugging his bear shyly standing next to Hermione and Alfred.

"Well in that case…" Professor McGonagall said staring at them.

"Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?"

Hermione hung her head. Harry was speechless. Hermione was the last person to break any rules, let alone pretend she had. Harry also noticed Matthew giving her a look of understanding. Did this kind of thing happen to him a lot?

"I am very disappointed in you. 5 points will be taken from Gryffindor. If you are not hurt at all you better head off to Gryffindor tower. The students are finishing their feasts in the houses.

Hermione left.

Professor McGonagall turned to the remaining five.

"Well, I say you were lucky, but not many first years can take on a mountain troll and live to tell the tale. You each will receive five points to Gryffindor, and Matthew will receive five points to Hufflepuff. The Headmaster will be imformed of this. You may go.

"We should have gotten more than fifteen points." Ron grumbled

"ten, you mean, once she's taken off Hermione's." Harry corrected.

"Actually dudes, five, I kind of got in trouble from Snape before the feast, I broke a vase…" Alfred said a little disappointed as well.

"See you guys tomorrow eh?" Matthew said as he left to Hufflepuff tower.

They reached the portrait of the fat lady.

"Pig snout." They said and entered.

The common room was packed and noisy everyone was eating food, Hermione was standing alone by the door waiting for them. There was a very embarrassed pause, no one looked at each other and they all said thanks hurrying off to their plates; or in Alfred's case pulling out Hamburgers.

But from that moment on Hermione Granger was their friend there were some things you cannot share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve foot mountain troll was one of them.

Oh and so was Matthew, Alfred's brother, they would have to find a way to remember him.

Elsewhere…

"That Git didn't answer a single question I asked him!" An annoyed British man shouted to no one as he finished reading a letter.

Chapter done~!


	9. Chapter nine: Quidditch

**I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER OR HETALIA**

"That git! Not a single question! Nothing!" England shouted to no one.

"I've got half a mind to send a bloody howler!"

England, also known as Arthur Kirkland, paced back and forth by his desk. He needed to know if anything had happened. He looked back at the letter the two had sent him and sighed. He got out a sheet of paper and began to write; more calmly then last time, after he finished writing he sent it with Alfred's Eagle.

"Half a mind I tell you, half a mind…" Arthur sighed as he went into the kitchen.

Back at Hogwarts,

As they entered November, the weather turned very cold. The mountains around the school became icy gray and the lake like chilled steel. Every morning the ground was covered in frost. Hagrid could be seen from the upstairs windows defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch field, bundled up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves, and enormous beaver skin boots. The Quidditch season had begun. On Saturday, Harry would be playing in his first match after weeks of training: Gryffindor versus Slytherin. If Gryffindor won, they would move up into second place in the house championship. Hardly anyone had seen Harry play because Wood had decided that, as their secret weapon, Harry should be kept, well, secret. But the news that he was playing Seeker had leaked out somehow, and Harry didn't know which was worse - people telling him he'd be brilliant or people telling him they'd be running around underneath him holding a mattress. It was really lucky that Harry now had Hermione as a friend. He didn't know how he'd have gotten through all his homework without her, what with all the last-minute Quidditch practice Wood was making them do. She had also lent him Quidditch through the Ages, which turned out to be a very interesting read. Harry learned that there were seven hundred ways of committing a Quidditch foul and that all of them had happened during a World Cup match in 1473; that Seekers were usually the smallest and fastest players, and that most serious Quidditch accidents seemed to happen to them; that although people rarely died playing Quidditch, referees had been known to vanish and turn up months later in the Sahara Desert. Hermione had become a bit more relaxed about breaking rules since Harry, Ron, Alfred and Matthew had saved her. Hermione had also made it her goal to remember Matthew and not mistake him for Alfred, apparently that happened a lot.

The day before Harry's first Quidditch match the five of them were out in the freezing courtyard during break, and Hermione had conjured them up a bright blue fire that could be carried around in a jam jar. They were standing with their backs to it, getting warm, when Snape crossed the yard. Harry noticed at once that Snape was limping. Harry, Ron, Alfred and Hermione moved closer together to block the fire from view Matthew was holding Kumaji or whatever the bears name was; they were sure that a blue fire wouldn't be allowed. Unfortunately, something about their guilty faces caught Snape's eye. He limped over. He hadn't seen the fire, but he seemed to be looking for a reason to tell them off anyway.

"What's that you've got there, Potter?" It was Quidditch through the Ages. Harry showed him. "Library books are not to be taken outside the school," said Snape. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor. "

"He's just made that rule up," Harry muttered angrily as Snape limped away. "Wonder what's wrong with his leg?"

"Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting him, " said Ron bitterly.

"Hey Mattie? Has anyone even noticed you had a polar bear yet?" Alfred asked curiously.

"I don't think so? Why?" Matthew asked surprised by the question.

"Cause' only cats, toads and rats are allowed. HAHAHA~! Your so ninja~!" Alfred said the last part loudly.

Matthew looked at his bear; "But Kumajiro isn't bad."

"Who?" Kumajirou asked

Matthew mumbled into his bear's fur.

"Just a question Matthew?" Hermione asked.

"Yes?" Matthew answered.

"how does your bear talk?"

There was absolute silence.

"Eh… I actually don't know…" Matthew said quietly.

More silence.

The Gryffindor common room was very noisy that evening. Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat together next to a window, Alfred and Matthew sat on the floor near them. Hermione was checking Harry and Ron's Charms homework for them. She would never let them copy ("How will you learn?"), but by asking her to read it through, they got the right answers anyway. And Alfred had convinced Matthew to come to the Gryffindor tower room (No one had noticed a Hufflepuff come in) to help him with his homework, Matthew didn't mind though it was nice to be with friends.

Harry felt restless. He wanted Quidditch through the Ages back, to take his mind off his nerves about tomorrow. Why should he be afraid of Snape? Getting up, he told Ron and Hermione he was going to ask Snape if he could have it. "Better you than me," they said together and Alfred had left at lunch with his brother somewhere, but Harry had an idea that Snape wouldn't refuse if there were other teachers listening. He made his way down to the staffroom and knocked. There was no answer. He knocked again. Nothing. (A/N) Perhaps Snape had left the book in there? It was worth a try. He pushed the door ajar and peered inside- and a horrible scene met his eyes. Snape and Filch were inside, alone. Snape was holding his robes above his knees. One of his legs was bloody and mangled. Filch was handing Snape bandages.

"Blasted thing," Snape was saying. "How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?"

Harry tried to shut the door quietly, but -"POTTER!" Snape's face was twisted with fury as he dropped his robes quickly to hide his leg. Harry gulped. "I just wondered if I could have my book back."

"GET OUT! OUT!" Harry left, before Snape could take any more points from Gryffindor. He sprinted back upstairs.

"Did you get it?" Ron asked as Harry joined them. "What's the matter?" In a low whisper, Harry told them what he'd seen. "You know what this means?" he finished breathlessly. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog at Halloween! That's where he was going when we saw him - he's after whatever it's guarding! And I'd bet my broomstick he let that troll in as well!"

In the room of requirement. Alfred Pov

"This time we can write in more detail eh?" Canada asked America.

"YUP!" Alfred shouted.

"We should probably read the letter first."

"Hey! I was getting to that!"

_**Matthew and Alfred,**_

_**Not a single question! Not a single one was answered! Who was the wizard tournament against? What happened? Is the spell still working? Have you grown at all? Those are simple questions!**_

_**Moving on, No, Matthew, the two of you didn't miss anything at the last meeting besides arguing and headaches. And Alfred that star in my head was painful, the blasted headache it gave me made us have to fall back! **_

_**So how was your Halloween? Anything interesting happen? I made some cookies instead of homemade candy for the kids this year, but strangely no one came, I saw tons of kids across the street…**_

_**Please answer my questions or I will send a bloody howler.**_

_** -Arthur Kirkland.**_

The two boys couldn't help but laugh.

"If his scones taste like petrified couch stuffing, I don't want to know about his cookies!" Alfred laughed along with Matthew.

Matthew got a pen out of his bag and a piece of paper.

_**Arthur,**_

_**Sorry for not answering the questions we were with our friend Hermione, like I said before, she was looking at the paper; she probably wouldn't have if Alfred didn't slam it down… Our Halloween was… Interesting, we made some new friends. I'll let Alfred fill you in on the rest.**_

_** -Matthew**_

_**Dude no one came because you're cooking taste like petrified couch stuffing. You almost killed Prussia* with your cooking! Anyway Halloween was my day~! I was such a hero! Sure I had four sidekicks but I was totally a hero~! We took down a freakin troll! It was no match for a bathroom stall, a club, and a wand HAHAHA~! As for that tournament you keep going on about, Dude nothing happened. Harry told me Malfoy never showed up and they were chased by filch. They also told me about a three headed dog.**_

_** -The Hero~!**_

Alfred and Matthew were happy with their letter and this time Matthew took the letter to his bird.

As Alfred walked back into the common room he saw Hermione's eyes were wide. "No - he wouldn't, she said. "I know he's not very nice, but he wouldn't try and steal something Dumbledore was keeping safe."

"Honestly, Hermione, you think all teachers are saints or something, "snapped Ron. "I'm with Harry. I wouldn't put anything past Snape. But what's he after? What's that dog guarding?"

"Hey Dudes? Did I miss anything?" Alfred asked confused.

Harry then told him what had happened when he was gone.

"Better keep an eye on him…" Alfred said.

Harry went to bed with his head buzzing with the same question Ron asked; what was the dog guarding? Neville was snoring loudly, but Harry couldn't sleep. He tried to empty his mind - he needed to sleep, he had to, he had his first Quidditch match in a few hours - but the expression on Snape's face when Harry had seen his leg wasn't easy to forget. The next morning dawned very bright and cold. The Great Hall was full of the delicious smell of fried sausages and the cheerful chatter of everyone looking forward to a good Quidditch match.

"You've got to eat some breakfast."

"I don't want anything."

"Just a bit of toast," wheedled Hermione.

"I'm not hungry." Harry felt terrible. In an hour's time he'd be walking onto the field.

"Dude you could have a Hamburger! They give you energy for the day~!" A very happy Alfred said.

"Harry, you need your strength," said Seamus Finnigan. "Seekers are always the ones who get clobbered by the other team."

"Thanks, Seamus," said Harry, watching Seamus pile ketchup on his sausages.

"No worries dude nothing will happen with a hero like me out there!" Alfred said loudly; "Sure I'm not on the team or anything but I can be a Hero from the stands!"

By eleven o'clock the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. Many students had binoculars. The seats might be raised high in the air, but it was still difficult to see what was going on sometimes. Ron and Hermione joined Neville, Seamus, and Dean the West Ham fan up in the top row. Matthew and Alfred also joined a bit later. As a surprise for Harry, they had painted a large banner on one of the sheets Scabbers had ruined. It said Potter for President, and Dean, who was good at drawing, had done a large Gryffindor lion underneath. Then Hermione had performed a tricky little charm so that the paint flashed different colors. Matthew wrote Proud and Strong on the side as well. Alfred was giving thumbs up. Meanwhile, in the locker room, Harry and the rest of the team were changing into their scarlet Quidditch robes (Slytherin would be playing in green).

Wood cleared his throat for silence. "Okay, men," he said.

"And women, " said Chaser Angelina Johnson.

"And women, "Wood agreed. "This is it. "

"The big one," said Fred Weasley.

"The one we've all been waiting for, " said George.

"We know Oliver's speech by heart," Fred told Harry, "we were on the team last year. "

"Shut up, you two," said Wood. "This is the best team Gryffindor's had in years. We're going to win. I know it." He glared at them all as if to say, "Or else."

"Right. It's time. Good luck, all of you." Harry followed Fred and George out of the locker room and, hoping his knees weren't going to give way, walked onto the field to loud cheers. Madam Hooch was refereeing. She stood in the middle of the field waiting for the two teams, her broom in her hand. "Now, I want a nice fair game, all of you," she said, once they were all gathered around her.

Harry noticed that she seemed to be speaking particularly to the Slytherin Captain, Marcus Flint, a sixth year. Harry thought Flint looked as if he had some troll blood in him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the fluttering banner high above, flashing Potter for President and Proud and Strong over the crowd. His heart skipped. He felt braver.

"Mount your brooms, please." Harry clambered onto his Nimbus Two Thousand. Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle. Fifteen brooms rose up, high, high into the air. They were off.

"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor - what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too - - " "JORDAN! "Sorry, Professor. "

The Weasley twins' friend, Lee Jordan, was doing the commentary for the match, closely watched by Professor McGonagall.

"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve - back to Johnson and - no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes - Flint flying like an eagle up there - he's going to sc-no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle - that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and - OUCH - that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger - Quaffle taken by the Slytherins - that's Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goal posts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger - sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which - nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes - she's really flying - dodges a speeding Bludger – the goal posts are ahead - come on, now, Angelina - Keeper Bletchley dives - misses – GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"

Gryffindor cheers filled the cold air along with a Hufflepuff Cheer, and howls and moans from the Slytherins.

"Budge up there, move along."

"Hagrid!" Ron and Hermione squeezed together to give Hagrid enough space to join them.

"Hey Hagrid dude!" Alfred said loudly.

"Hello." Matthew said shyly.

"Bin watchin' from me hut," said Hagrid, patting a large pair of binoculars around his neck, "But it isn't the same as bein' in the crowd. No sign of the Snitch yet, eh?"

"Nope," said Ron. "Harry hasn't had much to do yet."

"Kept outta trouble, though, that's somethin'," said Hagrid, raising his binoculars and peering skyward at the speck that was Harry. Way up above them, Harry was gliding over the game, squinting about for some sign of the Snitch. This was part of his and Wood's game plan. "Keep out of the way until you catch sight of the Snitch," Wood had said. "We don't want you attacked before you have to be."

When Angelina had scored, Harry had done a couple of loop-the-loops to let off his feelings. Now he was back to staring around for the Snitch. Once he caught sight of a flash of gold, but it was just a reflection from one of the Weasleys' wristwatches, and once a Bludger decided to come pelting his way, more like a cannonball than anything, but Harry dodged it and Fred Weasley came chasing after it.

"All right there, Harry?" he had time to yell, as he beat the Bludger furiously toward Marcus Flint.

"Slytherin in possession, " Lee Jordan was saying, "Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the - wait a moment - was that the Snitch?" A murmur ran through the crowd as Adrian Pucey dropped the Quaffle; too busy looking over his shoulder at the flash of gold that had passed his left ear. Harry saw it. In a great rush of excitement he dived downward after the streak of gold. Slytherin Seeker Terence Higgs had seen it, too. Neck and neck they hurtled toward the Snitch -all the Chasers seemed to have forgotten what they were supposed to be doing as they hung in midair to watch. Harry was faster than Higgs - he could see the little round ball, wings fluttering, darting up ahead – he put on an extra spurt of speed -WHAM! A roar of rage echoed from the Gryffindors below - Marcus Flint had blocked Harry on purpose, and Harry's broom spun off course, Harry holding on for dear life.

"Foul!" screamed the Gryffindors. Madam Hooch spoke angrily to Flint and then ordered a free shot at the goal posts for Gryffindor. But in all the confusion, of course, the Golden Snitch had disappeared from sight again.

"DUDE THAT WAS SO FREAKIN' UNCOOL!" Alfred shouted extremely loudly, losing 5 points from Gryffindor for use of language… Matthew was death glaring at Marcus Flint.

Dean Thomas was also yelling, "Send him off, ref! Red card!"

"What are you talking about, Dean?" said Ron.

"Red card!" said Dean furiously. "In soccer you get shown the red card and you're out of the game!"

"But this isn't soccer, Dean," Ron reminded him.

Hagrid, however, was on Dean's side. "They ought to change the rules. Flint could have knocked Harry outta the air."

Lee Jordan was finding it difficult not to take sides. "So - after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating

"Jordan!" growled Professor McGonagall.

"I mean, after that open and revolting foul"

"Jordan, I'm warning you - -"

"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinner, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."

It was as Harry dodged another Bludger, which went spinning dangerously past his head when it happened. His broom gave a sudden, frightening lurch. For a split second, he thought he was going to fall. He gripped the broom tightly with both his hands and knees. He'd never felt anything like that. It happened again. It was as though the broom was trying to buck him off. But Nimbus Two Thousands did not suddenly decide to buck their riders off. Harry tried to turn back toward the Gryffindor goalposts- he had half a mind to ask Wood to call time-out - and then he realized that his broom was completely out of his control. He couldn't turn it. He couldn't direct it at all. It was zigzagging through the air and every now and then making violent swishing movements that almost unseated him.

Lee was still commentating. "Slytherin in possession - Flint with the Quaffle - passes Spinnet - passes Bell - hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose - only joking, Professor - Slytherins score - A no..."

The Slytherins were cheering. No one seemed to have noticed that Harry's broom was behaving strangely. It was carrying-him slowly higher, away from the game, jerking and twitching as it went.

"There's something wrong." Matthew said watching Harry.

"Dunno what Harry thinks he's doing," Hagrid mumbled. He stared through his binoculars. "If I didn' know better, I'd say he'd lost control of his broom... But he can't have..."

Suddenly, people were pointing up at Harry all over the stands. His broom had started to roll over and over, with him only just managing to hold on. Then the whole crowd gasped. Harry's broom had given a wild jerk and Harry swung off it. He was now dangling from it, holding on with only one hand.

"HARRY DUDE! HOLD ON TIGHT!" A loud voice yelled the obvious.

"Did something happen to it when Flint blocked him?" Seamus whispered.

"Can't have," Hagrid said, his voice shaking.

"Can't nothing interfere with a broomstick except powerful Dark magic - no kid could do that to a Nimbus Two Thousand."

At these words, Hermione seized Hagrid's binoculars, but instead of looking up at Harry, she started looking frantically at the crowd.

"What are you doing?" moaned Ron, gray-faced.

"I knew it, "Hermione gasped, "Snape - look."

"Is he talking to himself?" Asked Alfred who didn't need binoculars to see his mouth moving.

Ron grabbed the binoculars. Snape was in the middle of the stands opposite them. He had his eyes fixed on Harry and was muttering nonstop under his breath.

"He's doing something - jinxing the broom, " said Hermione.

"What should we do?"

"Leave it to me." Before Ron could say another word, Hermione had disappeared. Ron turned the binoculars back on Harry. His broom was vibrating so hard, it was almost impossible for him to hang on much longer. The whole crowd was on its feet, watching, terrified, as the Weasleys flew up to try and pull Harry safely on to one of their brooms, but it was no good - every time they got near him, the broom would jump higher still. They dropped lower and circled beneath him, obviously hoping to catch him if he fell. Marcus Flint seized the Quaffle and scored five times without anyone noticing.

"HEY! THAT FEAKIN' ASS-." Alfred stated pointing widely fast Marcus Flint but was cut off, losing another five points.

Matthew was frowning at the poor sportsmen ship flint was showing, but at the moment he was more worried for his friend's safety.

"Come on, Hermione," Ron muttered desperately.

Hermione had fought her way across to the stand where Snape stood, and was now racing along the row behind him; she didn't even stop to say sorry as she knocked Professor Quirrell headfirst into the row in front. Reaching Snape, she crouched down, pulled out her wand, and whispered a few, well-chosen words. Bright blue flames shot from her wand onto the hem of Snape's robes. It took perhaps thirty seconds for Snape to realize that he was on fire. A sudden yelp told her she had done her job. Scooping the fire off him into a little jar in her pocket, she scrambled back along the row -Snape would never know what had happened. It was enough. Up in the air, Harry was suddenly able to clamber back on to his broom.

"Neville, you can look!" Ron said. Neville had been sobbing into Hagrid's jacket for the last five minutes.

Matthew just a few moments before Hermione came back couldn't take it anymore and buried his head into Kumajirou's fur.

"Kumajee. What's going on?" he asked his bear quietly.

"Who."

Matthew sighed.

Harry was speeding toward the ground when the crowd saw him clap his hand to his mouth as though he was about to be sick - he hit the field on all fours - coughed - and something gold fell into his hand.

"I've got the Snitch!" he shouted, waving it above his head, and the game ended in complete confusion.

"He didn't catch it, he nearly swallowed it," Flint was still howling twenty minutes later, and Alfred telling Flint off, but it made no difference - Harry hadn't broken any rules and Lee Jordan was still happily shouting the results -Gryffindor had won by one hundred and seventy points to sixty. Harry heard none of this, though. He was being made a cup of strong tea back in Hagrid's hut, with Ron, Alfred, Matthew and Hermione.

"It was Snape," Ron was explaining, "Hermione and I saw him. He was cursing your broomstick, muttering, he wouldn't take his eyes off you."

"Rubbish," said Hagrid, who hadn't heard a word of what had gone on next to him in the stands.

"Why would Snape do somethin' like that?" Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at one another, wondering what to tell him. Alfred and Matthew saw the three and were curious. Harry decided on the truth. "I found out something about him," he told Hagrid. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween. It bit him. We think he was trying to steal whatever it's guarding. "

Hagrid dropped the teapot. "How do you know about Fluffy?" he said.

"Fluffy?"

"Yeah - he's mine - bought him off a Greek chap I met in the pub las' year - I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the-

"Yes?" said Harry eagerly.

And Matthew whispered something to Alfred; making him laugh.

"Now, don't ask me anymore," said Hagrid gruffly. "That's top secret, that is."

"But Snape's trying to steal it."

"Rubbish," said Hagrid again.

"Snape's a Hogwarts teacher; he'd do nothin' of the sort."

"So why did he just try and kill Harry?" cried Hermione. The afternoon's events certainly seemed to have changed her mind about Snape. I know a jinx when I see one, Hagrid, I've read all about them! You've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking at all, I saw him!"

"I'm tellin' yeh, yer wrong!" said Hagrid hotly. "I don' know why Harry's broom acted like that, but Snape wouldn' try an' kill a student! Now, listen to me, all three of yeh - yer meddlin' in things that don' concern yeh. It's dangerous. You forget that dog, an' you forget what it's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel - -"

"Aha!" said Harry, "so there's someone called Nicolas Flamel involved, is there?"

Hagrid looked furious with himself.

Alfred and Matthew looked concerned.

(A/N) knock knock knock Snape? knock knock knock Snape? knock knock knock Snape?

*I found this on a hetalia diaries website lol

Okay so next chapter will be more about Alfred and Matthew this one was mainly about Harry.

And can you guess why Alfred and Matthew are concerned?


	10. Chapter ten: suspicious Flamel & Alfred

**I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER OR HETALIA**

A/N sorry I can't write a French accent. I also know no french so sorry about that and France will probably seem ooc without it.

Also that last chapter took me forever to write lol.

"Oh the bloody git! A three bloody headed dog! No more detail! Not answering the simplest questions! I swear when I get my bloody hands on that git I'm gunna-." An angry British man exclaimed.

"Release your sexual tensions?" A French man cut off.

"Frog! What the Bloody hell are you doing in my kitchen?" a now very British man shouted.

"Ze door was unlocked." The French man shrugged.

"What kind of bloody answer is that?" The British man shouted Better known as England or Britain or the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The French man, better known as France shrugged. "What are you going on about anyway? A three headed dog? That isn't another one of your fake friends is it?"

England was now pissed.

"They are not imaginary! I'll have you know there are tons of magical creatures out there!"

"Like where?"

"This house!"

"Ohononon~!"

"…piss off."

"Don't be such a party pooper!"

"Get out of my house!"

"Oui, Oui." France said walking towards the door but paused; "Where is America anyway? He hasn't been at the last two meetings."

"He's doing me a favor!"

Before the French man could reply the British man pushed him out the door.

"Where. Are. My. Bloody. Howlers?" England thought angrily looking through his dresser; he would have to word his howler very carefully, but was going to be one bloody hell of a howler.

HOGWARTS HARRY POV

Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow. Matthew was extremely happy about that it seemed. The lake froze solid ("Perfect for Hockey!" he heard the Canadian shout/whisper.) and the Weasley twins were punished for bewitching several snowballs so that they followed Quirrell around, bouncing off the back of his turban. The few owls that managed to battle their way through the stormy sky to deliver mail had to be nursed back to health by Hagrid before they could fly off again. No one could wait for the holidays to start. While the Gryffindor common room and the Great Hall had roaring fires, the drafty corridors had become icy and a bitter wind rattled the windows in the classrooms.

Worst of all were Professor Snape's classes down in the dungeons, where their breath rose in a mist before them and they kept as close as possible to their hot cauldrons.

"I do feel so sorry," said Draco Malfoy, one Potions class, "for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home." He was looking over at Harry as he spoke. Crabbe and Goyle chuckled. Harry, who was measuring out powdered spine of lionfish, ignored them. Malfoy had been even more unpleasant than usual since the Quidditch match. Disgusted that the Slytherins had lost, he had tried to get everyone laughing at how a wide-mouthed tree frog would be replacing Harry as Seeker next. Then he'd realized that nobody found this funny, because they were all so impressed at the way Harry had managed to stay on his bucking broomstick. Alfred always gave Malfoy a death glare; it was actually quite scary seeing a death glare from someone like him.

But Malfoy, jealous and angry, had gone back to taunting Harry about having no proper family. It was true that Harry wasn't going back to Privet Drive for Christmas. Professor McGonagall had come around the week before, making a list of students who would be staying for the holidays, and Harry had signed up at once. He didn't feel sorry for himself at all; this would probably be the best Christmas he'd ever had. Ron and his brothers were staying, too, because Mr. And Mrs. Weasley were going to Romania to visit Charlie. Alfred said he and his brother were staying with a friend, then heading home to America and Canadia (It's Canada…)

When they left the dungeons at the end of Potions, they found a large fir tree blocking the corridor ahead. Two enormous feet sticking out at the bottom and a loud puffing sound told them that Hagrid was behind it.

"Hi, Hagrid, want any help?" Ron asked, sticking his head through the branches.

"Nah, I'm all right, thanks, Ron."

"Would you mind moving out of the way?" came Malfoy's cold drawl from behind them. "Are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley? Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose - that hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what your family's used to. "Ron dived at Malfoy just as Snape came up the stairs.

"WEASLEY!" Ron let go of the front of Malfoy's robes.

"He was provoked, Professor Snape," said Hagrid, sticking his huge hairy face out from behind the tree. "Malfoy was insultin' his family."

"Be that as it may, fighting is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid," said Snape silkily. "Five points from Gryffindor, Weasley, and be grateful it isn't more.

"*whatafreakinjerk*" A forced cough came from behind.

"Oh hullo Alfred." Hagrid greeted and Ron said hello.

"hey Hagrid dude, let me be the Hero and help you with that!" Alfred said grinning.

"Thanks' er Alfred but I don' think you'll be able ter li-." Hagrid began but Alfred had the tree practically over his shoulder.

"Yo, Where to?" Alfred asked normally.

"Er… the great hall…" Hagrid started uncertain as he watched Alfred walk away.

"That can't be normal." Ron stated.

"Neither is throwing a stall." Harry added.

"What yer two talkin' bout?" Hagrid asked confused.

Ron watched as Malfoy was still walking away.

"I'll get him," said Ron, grinding his teeth at Malfoy's back, "one of these days, I'll get him - - "

"I hate them both," said Harry, "Malfoy and Snape. "

"Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas," said Hagrid. "Tell yeh what, come with me an' see the Great Hall, looks a treat."

So the three of them followed Hagrid off to the Great Hall, where Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick were looking concerned at Alfred who was putting the tree up, the two professors had a few decorations next to their feet which they probably dropped in shock.

"Ah, Hagrid, Did you give Alfred any potion?" The hall looked spectacular. Festoons of holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls, and no less than twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles.

"No…" Hagrid said also watching the boy set the tree up, it was very strange.

"How many days you got left until yer holidays?" Hagrid asked.

"Just one," said Hermione. "And that reminds me -Harry, Ron, we've got half an hour before lunch, we should be in the library- why is Alfred err? "

"No idea honesty, and yeah, you're right, " said Ron, tearing his eyes away from Professor Flitwick, who had golden bubbles blossoming out of his wand and was trailing them over the branches of the new tree.

"The library?" said Hagrid, following them out of the hall, Alfred came running over grinning. "Just before the holidays? Bit keen, aren't yeh?"

"Oh, we're not working, " Harry told him brightly. "Ever since you mentioned Nicolas Flamel we've been trying to find out who he is."

"You what?" Hagrid looked shocked; Alfred did a spit take on his Soda.

"When did you guy's start looking? You never told me!" The hero said loudly.

"Whenever we go you and what's his name are always somewhere else, your welcome to join are search of course." Ron explained.

"Listen here - I've told yeh - drop it. It's nothin' to you what that dog's guardin'."

"We just want to know who Nicolas Flamel is, that's all," said Hermione.

"Unless you'd like to tell us and save us the trouble?" Harry added. "We must've been through hundreds of books already and we can't find him anywhere - just give us a hint - I know I've read his name somewhere."

"I'm sayin' nothin, said Hagrid flatly.

"Just have to find out for ourselves, then," said Ron, and they left Hagrid looking disgruntled and Alfred shocked as they hurried off to the library. They had indeed been searching books for Flamel's name ever since Hagrid had let it slip, because how else were they going to find out what Snape was trying to steal? The trouble was, it was very hard to know where to begin, not knowing what Flamel might have done to get himself into a book. He wasn't in Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century, or Notable Magical Names of Our Time; he was missing, too, from Important Modern Magical Discoveries, and A Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry. And then, of course, there was the sheer size of the library; tens of thousands of books; thousands of shelves; hundreds of narrow rows. Hermione took out a list of subjects and titles she had decided to search while Ron strode off down a row of books and started pulling them off the shelves at random.

Harry wandered over to the Restricted Section. He had been wondering for a while if Flamel wasn't somewhere in there. Unfortunately, you needed a specially signed note from one of the teachers to look in any of the restricted books, and he knew he'd never get one. These were the books containing powerful Dark Magic never taught at Hogwarts, and only read by older students studying advanced Defense against the Dark Arts.

"What are you looking for, boy?"

"Nothing, " said Harry. Madam Pince the librarian brandished a feather duster at him. "You'd better get out, then. Go on - out!"

Wishing he'd been a bit quicker at thinking up some story, Harry left the library. He, Ron, and Hermione had already agreed they'd better not ask Madam Pince where they could find Flamel. They were sure she'd be able to tell them, but they couldn't risk Snape hearing what they were up to. Harry waited outside in the corridor to see if the other two had found anything, but he wasn't very hopeful. They had been looking for two weeks, but as they only had a few moments between lessons it wasn't surprising they'd found nothing. What they really needed was a nice long search without Madam Pince breathing down their necks. Five minutes later, Ron and Hermione joined him, shaking their heads. They went off to lunch.

They were surprised to see Alfred staring in shock as a letter opened by itself.

"BLOODY GIT! NOT A SIMPLE ANSWER! A SIMPLE BLOODY ANSWER! INSTEAD YOU DON'T ANSWER AND YOU INSULT MY COOKING, GOOD GRIEF IT WAS NOT THAT BAD AND I DID NOT ALMOST KILL P-GILBERT WITH MY COOKING! YOU JUST HAVE NO TASTE WHEN IT COMES TO THE CULINARY ARTS! NEXT TIME I ASK A QUESTION I BLOODY WELL EXPECT AN ANSWER OK! IT'S NOT BAD ENOUGH I HAVE TO COVER YOUR ASS AT MEETINGS BUT A LITTLE WARNING NEXT TIME YOU SEND SOMETHING SO- SO- GAH! I SENT AN ACTUAL LETTER AS WELL, SO READ IT! GIT!"

The golden trio had sat down near Alfred when the letter was quiet.

"Bloody hell that guy can shout." Ron said rubbing his ears.

"HAHAHA~ OLD IGGY CAN'T EVEN TAKE A JOKE HAHAHA~!" Alfred seemed completely unaffected by the letter.

A certain British man sneezed somewhere.

The trio exchanged looks; "That was Iggy?" They all asked.

"For reals yo!" Alfred said opening the actual letter part.

"Oh yeah Matthew!" Hermione remembered.

"Huh?" Harry asked confused.

"Who?" Ron asked.

"Oh sorry, I'm just trying to remember that's all." Hermione said casually.

Matthew at the Hufflepuff table looked confused, someone said his name, but he wasn't sure who, he sighed and continued eating.

"You will keep looking while I'm away, won't you?" said Hermione. "And send me an owl if you find anything."

"And you could ask your parents if they know who Flamel is," said Ron. "It'd be safe to ask them."

"Very safe, as they're both dentists," said Hermione.

"Uhh Dudes? Mind filling me in on this by the way, A Hero should never be left out!" Alfred pouted. (It almost looked like… a fake pout?)

"Ever since Hagrid told us about Flamel we started looking. We haven't found anything useful yet." Harry replied.

Alfred's Pov.

Not. Good. If it had something to do with Flamel they must have that stone thing England was bragging about during that one meeting! Did England know about this? He didn't know about the three headed dog obviously, so maybe he didn't. Alfred looked at the letter England had sent with the howler and read it.

_**Alfred and Matthew,**_

_**Know that I am calm; HAVE YOU GROW AT ALL! I need to know or else you might just suddenly turn back! That would give anyone a heart attack! Like the one you gave me the other day, Alfred, A THREE BLOODY HEADED DOG! Honestly you didn't think that was important information? Where is this dog? And why is it even there? Also Malfoy is the one who challenged Harry? I hear he's from a pure blood family or something like that; does he cause a lot of trouble? And you… took down… A BLOODY TROLL! The bloody hell where you thinking! How the bloody hell did a Troll get there anyway? I'm starting to think I was right to get some help there, there's something quite fishy going on. Send me anymore details you find out. This is important.**_

_** -Arthur Kirkland.**_

"Hey Alfred? What was the Howler about anyway?" Ron asked.

"HAHAHA~! Just Iggy getting mad because he can't take a joke!" Alfred said trying to dodge the question.

"Was the letter more… Pleasant?" Hermione asked.

"Course!" Alfred said grinning.

'There's only one day till we head to England's house, I'll tell him the news about Flamel there.' Alfred thought to himself. And then left dinner early.

"How did he manage not breaking any bones when he dived under Neville?"

"Or how did he throw the stall at the troll?"

"How did he carry that tree with ease?"

The Golden Trio were now officially suspicious.

Another chapter done~!


	11. Chapter eleven: Hetalia xmas

I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER OR HETALIA

This is just what happened during the holidays, its gunna be a short chapter

Alfred and Matthew- America and Canada where now in front of England's house.

"Hey! Dude! Are ya in there? Where here dude for reals! Yo! Open up!" America shouted banging his fist on the door.

"America you need to stop or you might break it…" Canada said quietly.

"STOP MANGLING THE QUEENS LANGUAGE!" England whipped the door open and America accidently knocked once more, blinking once.

"BLOODY GIT THAT HURT! WHAT THE BLOODY HELL WAS THAT FOR?" England shouted.

"Opps Sorry England dude." Alfred said.

England sighed. And he stared at Canada frowning.

Canada sighed; I'm C-"

I know your Canada… You have grown about an inch or two… England then stared at America frowning, and Canada was slightly surprised he remembered and actually noticed him.

"You've grown at least 3 inches or so." England sighed.

"Dude! I'm almost taller than you again!" America shouted happily.

"That's not a good thing you co-!" England began and suddenly a taller America and Canada stood in front of him.

"Grow back…" England sighed.

"Wow dude talk about a growth spurt!" America said; "HAHAHA~!"

"Sorry England, we didn't notice." Canada said quietly.

"You two are just lucky it went off in front of someone who knows about it." England sighed rubbing his nose, which was knocked on a moment ago. "We'll change you back before holiday's end, no point in putting it on now."

"Oh Dude I almost forgot! I've got to check up on Tony, ya know! Make sure he didn't ruin my house. HAHAHA~! Alfred said loudly.

"Not before you explain a few things." England said tapping his foot.

America pouted before going into England's living room, Canada closely behind him.

"First off… The troll?" England asked sighing.

"No Need to worry about that dude! I had tons of backup just in case!" America said happily.

England turned to Canada.

"Our friend Hermione was upset and I tried to cheer her up, America came running in a few moments we were attacked, he was going to warn us but he was catching his breath from runn-." Canada began quietly.

"Dude! Not cool! I was not running! I told you it was a strategic retreat!" America interrupted pouting.

"A few moments after that the door locked behind America, Harry and Ron locked the troll in." Canada continued.

"Why the Bloody hell would they do that?" England interrupted taken aback.

"Eh? It was an accident, after they realized it was the girls' bathroom they ran in; America… distracted it. Harry stuck his wand up the troll's nose-"Canada continued.

"WHAT?" England asked, though he looked a little amused.

"Ron knocked out the troll with its on club, and I was trying to help Hermione out of the way." Canada finished.

"Of all the spells he could have used, he stuck his wand up a troll's nose? Honestly?" England asked Chuckling, but then stopped. "How exactly did America distract it?" England asked almost regretting asking.

"I used my awesome Hero strength and threw a stall at it! Just like my sidekick Ron threw a tap and pipe at it~!

"Idiot." England said face palming.

"What did I do? I saved the day!" America said.

"Don't you think they'll be a little suspicious?" England asked.

"Opps~?" America said.

"What about the three headed dog?" England asked trying to sound calm.

"Fluffy?" America asked remembering what Hagrid had said.

"What?" England raised a bushy eyebrow

"No who." America said.

"Who?" England asked.

"Yup!" America said grinning.

"Wow dude! I had almost the same conversation with Harry!" America laughed.

"WH-!" England began.

"The dog's name is fluffy, that's what Hagrid said eh?" Canada said quietly, double checking with his brother.

"Exactly!"

"Alright then? What is that dog doing there?" England asked as America and Canada exchanged a look.

"Protecting something." America said.

"Protecting what?"

"." America said very quickly.

England blinked once, twice. "What?

"." America said even quicker.

England blinked once, twice. "The bloody hell are you talking about?"

America took a deep breath.  
"Harry, Ron and Hermione think it's something to do with Flamel! They think Snape is after it! From hearing you brag about that stone we think it's the stone."

England spat out his tea in a very ungentlemanly way.

"WHAT!" England shouted, walking out of the room into the kitchen, dialing a number.

"You don't have it anymore?" England asked trying to sound calm on the phone.

"What do you mean it wasn't safe?" England said a bit louder.

"What makes you think that's safe?" England said louder.

"If you needed a place to hide a life's work why not hide it in your house!" England nearly shouted.

"Hogwarts isn't that safe!" England yelled.

"Yes of course it's safe but not safe enough for the elixir of bloody life!" England shouted again.

"You do realize how easy it would be for someone to take that stone if they really wanted to, hell, even a first year could do it!" England shouted again.

"Fine, Fine! But I swear it's not safe!" England said in a lower voice.

"Good day to you as well." England sighed.

America and Canada were quite confused.

"It'll be safer at Hogwarts he say's yet three kids are already on to it!" England said angrily.

England saw the confused looks on their faces.

"As you know the Philosopher's stone was made by the headmaster at your school and Nicholas Flamel." England began.

The two nodded.

"But what you didn't know was that it was also made with someone very experienced in the dark arts."

"What?" The North America brothers asked surprised.

"I used to be quite good at it to. It was anonymous, because I didn't want to give my identity, real or fake, to any wizard; they would be around for quite some time and would get suspicious of me not aging. So they got me to help with the dark magic parts, I then sent it over to them, I had no idea what they had to do with it, they had no idea what I had to do with it."

"Really? I mean dude I guess you did seem a little too proud of it." America said.

"So it's your stone as well eh?" Canada asked and England nodded.

America and Canada knew well about the stone, what it could do but they didn't know England helped make it.

CHRISTMAS~!

The Meeting of the nations was ready, this year all the nations were going to have Christmas together, this was not going to turn out well.

(Bits and pieces of the holiday and how it went each line is a different person you should be able to guess who for most of them lol all of them are also in their own conversations~! :)

"Ve~! Germany~! I gotcha a present!"

"Vell vanks Italy I go-got you one two and Japan."

"I also got you two a present."

"Japan~! I gotta give you yours aswell!"

"The Awesome me had arrived! I have come for my presents!"

"OW!"

"HEY EVERYONE THE HERO HAD BROUGHT YOU ALL PRESENTS!"

"Huh?"

"America?"

"These are?"

"PASTAAAAAAA~!"

"Hey Potato Bastard! Face my new and improveda weapon! Moustach~!"

"HAHAHA~!"

"CRAPOLA! IT BACKFIRED!"

"Hey Flying Mint bunny! Merry Christmas!"

"Ohononon~!"

"F**king"  
"Tony dude! I'm good thanks' for asking!"

"All I heard was F**king!"

"I need to feel more at home Aru~!"

"How the bloody hell did you build a Chinatown so quickly!"  
"Chinatown originated in Korea Da-Ze~!"

"You will all become one with me da?"

"I am awesome! Kneel down and cry!"

AFTER CHRISTMAS~!

"Santo Rita Meata Mater Ringo Jonah Tito Marlon Jack La Toya Janet Michael Dumbledora the Explorer, I will make you two younger, NOW SHRINK!" England shouted his weird incantation this time it worked on the first time, last time he made them the size of ants, literately.

"See ya later Iggy!" America yelled grabbing the stuff he needed for the train ride back.

"Bye England." Canada said quietly.

"Now that there gone I will get something that can actually protect that blasted stone." England said as he heard the door close.

"Santo Rita Meata Mater Ringo Jonah Tito Marlon Jack La Toya Janet Michael Dumbledora the Explorer, I summon you from the depths of hell, Show yourself!" England shouted.

"You called?" Russia asked with a sweet and innocent smile on his face.

England blinked.

"Bloody hell not again! I wasn't calling you!" England said as he pushed Russia back to where he came from.

I finally reached my personal goal! 20,000 Words! YES~!


	12. Chapter twelve: Maybe they should have

Questions and Suspicions.

I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER OR HETALIA

HARRY POV

Dumbledore had convinced Harry not to go looking for the Mirror of Erised again, and for the rest of the Christmas holidays the invisibility cloak stayed folded at the bottom of his trunk. Harry wished he could forget what he'd seen in the mirror as easily, but he couldn't. He started having nightmares. Over and over again he dreamed about his parents disappearing in a flash of green light, while a high voice cackled with laughter.

"You see, Dumbledore was right, that mirror could drive you mad," said Ron, when Harry told him about these dreams. Hermione, who came back the day before term started, took a different view of things. She was torn between horror at the idea of Harry being out of bed, roaming the school three nights in a row ("If Filch had caught you!"), and disappointment that he hadn't at least found out who Nicolas Flamel was. They had almost given up hope of ever finding Flamel in a library book, even though Harry was still sure he'd read the name somewhere. Alfred had been acting a bit strange whenever they talked about this, maybe he knew? But Harry put that thought to the back of his head.

Once term had started they were back to skimming through books for ten minutes during their breaks. Alfred was still somewhere with Matthew when they searched but they had no idea where. Harry had even less time than then Ron and Hermione to search the books, because Quidditch practice had started again. Wood was working the team harder than ever. Even the endless rain that had replaced the snow couldn't dampen his spirits. The Weasleys complained that Wood was becoming a fanatic, but Harry was on Wood's side. If they won their next match, against Hufflepuff, they would overtake Slytherin in the house championship for the first time in seven years. Quite apart from wanting to win, Harry found that he had fewer nightmares when he was tired out after training. Then, during one particularly wet and muddy practice session, Wood gave the team a bit of bad news. He'd just gotten very angry with the Weasleys, who kept dive-bombing each other and pretending to fall off their brooms.

"Will you stop messing around!" he yelled. "That's exactly the sort of thing that'll lose us the match! Snape's refereeing this time, and he'll be looking for any excuse to knock points off Gryffindor!"

George Weasley really did fall off his broom at these words. "Snape's refereeing?" he spluttered through a mouthful of mud.

"When's he ever refereed a Quidditch match? He's not going to be fair if we might overtake Slytherin."

The rest of the team landed next to George to complain, too.

"It's not my fault," said Wood. "We've just got to make sure we play a clean game, so Snape hasn't got an excuse to pick on us."

Which was all very well, thought Harry, but he had another reason for not wanting Snape near him while he was playing Quidditch... The rest of the team hung back to talk to one another as usual at the end of practice, but Harry headed straight back to the Gryffindor common room, where he found Ron and Hermione playing chess, Alfred watching the game from the side looking bored. Chess was the only thing Hermione ever lost at, something Harry and Ron thought was very good for her.

"Don't talk to me for a moment," said Ron when Harry sat down next to him,

"I need to concen - -"He caught sight of Harry's face. "What's the matter with you? You look terrible."

Speaking quietly so that no one else would hear, Harry told the other two about Snape's sudden, sinister desire to be a Quidditch referee.

"For reals dude?" Alfred asked.

"Don't play," said Hermione at once.

"Say you're ill," said Ron.

"Pretend to break your leg," Hermione suggested.

"Really break your leg," said Ron.

"I can't," said Harry. "There isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out, Gryffindor can't play at all."

"Hey Alfred?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Yo?" Alfred responded.

"Earlier in the year, how did you manage to carry a tree and throw a stall?" Hermione asked.

At that moment Neville toppled into the common room. How he had managed to climb through the portrait hole was anyone's guess, because his legs had been stuck together with what they recognized at once as the Leg-Locker Curse. He must have had to bunny hop all the way up to Gryffindor tower. Everyone fell over laughing except Hermione, and Alfred, he declared he was too much of a Hero to laugh. Who leapt up and performed the counter curse. Neville's legs sprang apart and he got to his feet, trembling.

Alfred was glad in a way that the attention was off him, for once. England was right. That would seem suspicious; Alfred was surprised they waited so long to ask.

"What happened?" Hermione asked him, leading him over to sit with Harry and Ron.

"Malfoy" said Neville shakily. "I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practice that on."

"DUDE WHEN I GET MY FREAK-"Alfred began, he had really started Hating Malfoy even more lately.

"Go to Professor McGonagall!" Hermione urged Neville. "Report him!"

Neville shook his head. "I don't want more trouble," he mumbled.

You've got to stand up to him, Neville!" said Ron. "He's used to walking all over people, but that's no reason to lie down in front of him and make it easier."

"There's no need to tell me I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, Malfoy's already done that," Neville choked out. Harry felt in the pocket of his robes and pulled out a Chocolate Frog, the very last one from the box Hermione had given him for Christmas. He gave it to Neville, who looked as though he might cry.

"You're worth twelve of Malfoy, " Harry said.

"Worth twelve? I'd say twelve times better than Malfoy." Alfred added.

"The Sorting Hat chose you for Gryffindor, didn't it? And where's Malfoy? In stinking Slytherin. " Harry continued.

Neville's lips twitched in a weak smile as he unwrapped the frog." Thanks, Harry... I think I'll go to bed... Do you want the card; you collect them, don't you?" As Neville walked away, Harry looked at the Famous Wizard card.

"Dumbledore again" he said, "He was the first one I ever - "He gasped. He stared at the back of the card. Then he looked up at Ron and Hermione.

"I've found him!" he whispered. "I've found Flamel! I told you I'd read the name somewhere before, I read it on the train coming here - listen to this: 'Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel!"

Hermione jumped to her feet, Alfred fell off his seat. Hermione hadn't looked so excited since they'd gotten back the marks for their very first piece of homework. "Stay there!" she said, and she sprinted up the stairs to the girls' dormitories.

Harry and Ron barely had time to exchange mystified looks before she was dashing back, an enormous old book in her arms.

"I never thought to look in here!" she whispered excitedly. "I got this out of the library weeks ago for a bit of light reading."

"Light?" said Ron, but

Hermione told him to be quiet until she'd looked something up, and started flicking frantically through the pages, muttering to herself. At last she found what she was looking for.

"I knew it! I knew it!"

"Are we allowed to speak yet?" said Ron grumpily.

Hermione ignored him. "Nicolas Flamel," she whispered dramatically, "is the only known maker of the Sorcerer's Stone!" This didn't have quite the effect she'd expected.

"The what?" said Harry and Ron.

"Oh, honestly, don't you two read? Look - read that, there. "She pushed the book toward them, and Harry and Ron read: The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Sorcerer's Stone, a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal. There have been many reports of the Sorcerer's Stone over the centuries, but the only Stone currently inexistence belongs to Mr. Nicolas Flamel, the noted alchemist and opera lover. Mr. Flamel, who celebrated his six hundred and sixty-fifth birthday last year, enjoys a quiet life in Devon with his wife, Perenelle (six hundred and fifty-eight).

"See?" said Hermione, when Harry and Ron had finished.

"The dog must be guarding Flamel's Sorcerer's Stone! I bet he asked Dumbledore to keep it safe for him, because they're friends and he knew someone was after it, that's why he wanted the Stone moved out of Gringotts!"

"A stone that makes gold and stops you from ever dying!" said Harry. "No wonder Snape's after it! Anyone would want it."

"And no wonder we couldn't find Flamel in that Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry," said Ron. "He's not exactly recent if he's six hundred and sixty-five, is he?"

Harry might have been the only one to notice how pale and Concerned Alfred looked, but he didn't register it in his mind he was focusing at the task at hand.

The next morning at breakfast, Alfred ate quickly and left with his brother, this wasn't new he did that quite a few times.

Alfred's POV

"This is really not good dude." Alfred said pacing back and forth.

"It really isn't eh?" Matthew agreed.

The two were in the room of requirement again.

"England was right when he said first years could figure it out."

"Almost like he was fore shadowing the event."

"Way to break the forth wall Mattie!" (Couldn't help it sorry)

"Eh? I did not!" The Canadian whisper/yelled.

"Any way's now what? You and I both now how those three are?" The American pointed out.

"If we tell England he's going to be so mad." The Canadian agreed.

"Crap! What a hard choice! But since I'm the Hero I know just what to do!"

"What that?"

America put two sheets of paper on the desk a serious look on his face, on one sheet he wrote 'Tell Iggy they know' on the other 'wait it out'. With the straightest face ever he began. "Innie meanie Minnie mo. catch a tiger by the toe. If he hollers let him go. Innie meanie Minnie mo. My mother said to pick the very best and you are not it!

"Looks like we wait it out dude!"

"I don't think that's a good idea…"

Harry's POV

The next morning in Defense against the Dark Arts, while copying down different ways of treating werewolf bites, Harry and Ron were still discussing what they'd do with a Sorcerer's Stone if they had one. They didn't notice Alfred giving them concerned looks. It wasn't until Ron said he'd buy his own Quidditch team that Harry remembered about Snape and the coming match.

"I'm going to play," he told Ron and Hermione. "If I don't, all the Slytherins will think I'm just too scared to face Snape. I'll show them... It'll really wipe the smiles off their faces if we win."

"Just as long as we're not wiping you off the field," said Hermione. As the match drew nearer, however, Harry became more and more nervous. The rest of the team wasn't too calm, either. The idea of overtaking Slytherin in the house championship was wonderful, no one had done it for seven years, but would they be allowed to, with such a biased referee? Harry didn't know whether he was imagining it or not, but he seemed to keep running into Snape wherever he went. At times, he even wondered whether Snape was following him, trying to catch him on his own. Potions lessons were turning into a sort of weekly torture, Snape was so horrible to Harry. Could Snape possibly know they'd found out about the Sorcerer's Stone? Harry didn't see how he could - yet he sometimes had the horrible feeling that Snape could read minds. Harry knew, when they wished him good luck outside the locker rooms the next afternoon, that Ron and Hermione were wondering whether they'd ever see him alive again, This wasn't what you'd call comforting. Alfred and Matthew were trying to assure him that nothing would happen.

Harry hardly heard a word of Wood's pep talk as he pulled on his Quidditch robes and picked up his Nimbus Two Thousand. Ron and Hermione, meanwhile, had found a place in the stands next to Neville, who couldn't understand why they looked so grim and worried, or why they had both brought their wands to the match. Little did Harry know that Ron and Hermione had been secretly practicing the Leg-Locker Curse. They'd gotten the idea from Malfoy using it on Neville, and were ready to use it on Snape if he showed any sign of wanting to hurt Harry.

"Now, don't forget, it's Locomotor Mortis, " Hermione muttered as Ron slipped his wand up his sleeve.

"I know," Ron snapped. "Don't nag."

"I don't think that's really needed." Matthew said quietly.

"Dudes its gunna be fine!" Alfred said loudly.

Hermione seemed to remember something. "You never did answer."

"Answer what?" Alfred asked.

"My Question." Hermione replied.

"Your question?" Alfred asked, knowing full well what it was, Matthew looked worried.

"Yes, my question." Hermione said a little annoyed.

"Which one?" America asked trying to avoid it.

"How did you throw that stall and carry that tree!" Hermione snapped, tired of the pointless questions.

"…What in the where now?"

"Never mind!" Hermione said, she would ask later.

Back in the locker room, Wood had taken Harry aside. "Don't want to pressure you, Potter, but if we ever need an early capture of the Snitch it's now. Finish the game before Snape can favor Hufflepuff too much."

"The whole school's out there!" said Fred Weasley, peering out of the door. "Even - blimey -Dumbledore's come to watch!"

Harry's heart did a somersault. "Dumbledore?" he said, dashing to the door to make sure. Fred was right. There was no mistaking that silver beard. Harry could have laughed out loud with relief He was safe. There was simply no way that Snape would dare to try to hurt him if Dumbledore was watching. Perhaps that was why Snape was looking so angry as the teams marched onto the field, something that Ron noticed, too.

"I've never seen Snape look so mean," he told Hermione.

"Look -they're off Ouch!" Someone had poked Ron in the back of the head. It was Malfoy. "Oh, sorry, Weasley, didn't see you there." Malfoy grinned broadly at Crabbe and Goyle. "Wonder how long Potter's going to stay on his broom this time? Anyone want a bet? What about you, Weasley?"

Ron didn't answer; Snape had just awarded Hufflepuff a penalty because George Weasley had hit a Bludger at him. Hermione, who had all her fingers crossed in her lap, was squinting fixedly at Harry, who was circling the game like a hawk, looking for the Snitch.

"You know how I think they choose people for the Gryffindor team?" said Malfoy loudly a few minutes later, as Snape awarded Hufflepuff another penalty for no reason at all. "It's people they feel sorry for. See, there's Potter, who's got no parents, then there's the Weasleys, who've got no money - you should be on the team, Longbottom, you've got no brains." Neville went bright red but turned in his seat to face Malfoy.

"I'm worth twelve of you, Malfoy, " he stammered.

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle howled with laughter, but Ron, still not daring to take his eyes from the game, said, "You tell him, Neville."

"Longbottom, if brains were gold you'd be poorer than Weasley, and that's saying something."

Ron's nerves were already stretched to the breaking point with anxiety about Harry. "I'm warning you, Malfoy - one more word"

Alfred was trying really hard not to Falcon punch the shit out of the annoying Slytherin picking on his friends.

"Ron!" said Hermione suddenly, "Harry - -"

"What? Where?" Harry had suddenly gone into a spectacular dive, which drew gasps and cheers from the crowd. Hermione stood up, her crossed fingers in her mouth, as Harry streaked toward the ground like a bullet.

"You're in luck, Weasley, Potter's obviously spotted some money on the ground!" said Malfoy. Ron snapped. Before Malfoy knew what was happening, Ron was on top of him, wrestling him to the ground. Neville hesitated, and then clambered over the back of his seat to help.

"Come on, Harry!" Hermione screamed, leaping onto her seat to watch as Harry sped straight at Snape -she didn't even notice Malfoy and Ron rolling around under her seat, or the scuffles and yelps coming from the whirl of fists that was Neville, Crabbe, and Goyle. Up in the air, Snape turned on his broomstick just in time to see something scarlet shoot past him, missing him by inches - the next second, Harry had pulled out of the dive, his arm raised in triumph, the Snitch clasped in his hand. The stands erupted; it had to be a record, no one could ever remember the Snitch being caught so quickly.

"Ron! Ron! Where are you? The game's over! Harry's won! We've won! Gryffindor is in the lead!" shrieked Hermione, dancing up and down on her seat and hugging Parvati Patil in the row in front.

Harry jumped off his broom, a foot from the ground. He couldn't believe it. He'd done it - the game was over; it had barely lasted five minutes. As Gryffindors came spilling onto the field, he saw Snape land nearby, white-faced and tight-lipped - then Harry felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up into Dumbledore's smiling face. "Well done," said Dumbledore quietly, so that only Harry could hear.

"Nice to see you haven't been brooding about that mirror... Been keeping busy... Excellent..."Snape spat bitterly on the ground. Harry left the locker room alone some time later, to take his Nimbus Two Thousand back to the broom shed. He couldn't ever remember feeling happier. He'd really done something to be proud of now -no one could say he was just a famous name any more. The evening air had never smelled so sweet. He walked over the damp grass, reliving the last hour in his head, which was a happy blur: Gryffindors running to lift him onto their shoulders; Ron and Hermione in the distance, jumping up and down, Ron cheering through a heavy nosebleed, And Alfred seemed to be grinning and patting Ron on the back and when he saw Harry he gave him a thumbs up. Harry had reached the shed. He leaned against the wooden door and looked up at Hogwarts, with its windows glowing red in the setting sun.

Gryffindor in the lead. He'd done it, he'd shown Snape... And speaking of Snape... A hooded figure came swiftly down the front steps of the castle. Clearly not wanting to be seen, it walked as fast as possible toward the forbidden forest. Harry's victory faded from his mind as he watched. He recognized the figure's prowling walk. Snape, sneaking into the forest while everyone else was at dinner -what was going on? Harry jumped back on his Nimbus Two Thousand and took off. Gliding silently over the castle he saw Snape enter the forest at a run. He followed. The trees were so thick he couldn't see where Snape had gone. He flew in circles, lower and lower, brushing the top branches of trees until he heard voices. He glided toward them and landed noiselessly in a towering beech tree. He climbed carefully along one of the branches, holding tight to his broomstick, trying to see through the leaves. Below, in a shadowy clearing, stood Snape, but he wasn't alone. Quirrell was there, too. Harry couldn't make out the look on his face, but he was stuttering worse than ever. Harry strained to catch what they were saying.

"... D-don't know why you wanted t-t-to meet here of all p-places, Severus... "

"Oh, I thought we'd keep this private," said Snape, his voice icy.

"Students aren't supposed to know about the Sorcerer's Stone, after all." Harry leaned forward. Quirrell was mumbling something. Snape interrupted him.

"Have you found out how to get past that beast of Hagrid's yet?"

"B-b-but Severus, I - -"

"You don't want me as your enemy, Quirrell," said Snape, taking a step toward him.

"I-I don't know what you-"

"You know perfectly well what I mean." An owl hooted loudly, and Harry nearly fell out of the tree. He steadied himself in time to hear Snape say,

"- you're little bit of hocus-pocus. I'm waiting."

"B-but I d-d-don't - -"

"Very well," Snape cut in. "We'll have another little chat soon, when you've had time to think things over and decided where your loyalties lie." He threw his cloak over his head and strode out of the clearing. It was almost dark now, but Harry could see Quirrell, standing quite still as though he was petrified.

"Harry, where have you been?" Hermione squeaked.

"We won! You won! We won!" shouted Ron, thumping Harry on the back. "And I gave Malfoy a black eye, and Neville tried to take on Crabbe and Goyle single-handed! He's still out cold but Madam Pomftey says he'll be all right - talk about showing Slytherin! Everyone's waiting for you in the common room, we're having a party, Fred and George stole some cakes and stuff from the kitchens. "

"HAHAHA~! I'd say Ron was almost as heroic as me today! He really showed that Malfoy kid wh-…" Alfred began but was cut off.

"Never mind that now," said Harry breathlessly. "Let's find an empty room; you wait 'til you hear this..."

He made sure Peeves wasn't inside before shutting the door behind them, and then he told them what he'd seen and heard.

"So we were right, it is the Sorcerer's Stone, and Snape's trying to force Quirrell to help him get it. He asked if he knew how to get past Fluffy - and he said something about Quirrell's 'hocus pocus - I reckon there are other things guarding the stone apart from Fluffy, loads of enchantments, probably, and Quirrell would have done some anti-Dark Arts spell that Snape needs to break through - - "

"So you mean the Stone's only safe as long as Quirrell stands up to Snape?" said Hermione in alarm.

"It'll be gone by next Tuesday," said Ron.

Alfred's thoughts on the matter.

'Crap! Maybe we should have told England…'

Another chapter this is either the third or fourth today or something~!


	13. Chapter thirteen: Unlucky

I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER OR HETALIA

Another chapter

Alfred immediately went to the room of requirement, he wouldn't be able to get Matthew without knowing the Hufflepuff password, and he got a letter out and a pen.

_**Arthur,**_

_**Dude, Shit just got serious. They found out about the stone and Flamel, they think that's what Snape is after and what the dog is guarding. Harry told me, Ron and Hermione that he saw Snape trying to force Quirrell to help him get it, he asked how to get passed fluffy- I still need to see what that dog looks like- and he asked something about his Hocus Pocus. If that's the case knowing Quirrell (He's worse than Feliciano!) The stone will be gone in a week! There's a chance Snape isn't after it, but he's being very suspicious dude. But knowing the three of them, Hermione, Ron and Harry, There going to keep thinking its Snape. Dude what exactly should we do?**_

_** Alfred F. Jones.**_

Alfred sighed as he went to send the owl, he, the HERO had to ask what to do, why couldn't he just make a super mutant hero like Global man, his idea to reduce global warming? Only change it for protecting stuff.

Quirrell, however, must have been braver than they'd thought. In the weeks that followed he did seem to be getting paler and thinner, but it didn't look as though he'd cracked yet. Every time they passed the third-floor corridor, Harry, Ron, and Hermione would press their ears to the door to check that Fluffy was still growling inside, as they did this Alfred would 'stand guard'. Snape was sweeping about in his usual bad temper, which surely meant that the Stone was still safe. Whenever Harry passed Quirrell these days he gave him an encouraging sort of smile, and Ron had started telling people off for laughing at Quirrell's stutter. Hermione, however, had more on her mind than the Sorcerer's Stone. She had started drawing up study schedules and color coding all her notes. Harry and Ron wouldn't have minded, but she kept nagging them to do the same.

"Hermione, the exams are ages away."

"Ten weeks," Hermione snapped. "That's not ages, that's like a second to Nicolas Flamel."

"But we're not six hundred years old," Ron reminded her. "Anyway, what are you studying for, you already know it all."

"What am I studying for? Are you crazy? You realize we need to pass these exams to get into the second year? They're very important, I should have started studying a month ago, I don't know what's gotten in to me... "

Unfortunately, the teachers seemed to be thinking along the same lines as Hermione. They piled so much homework on them that the Easter holidays weren't nearly as much fun as the Christmas ones. It was hard to relax with Hermione next to you reciting the twelve uses of dragon's blood or practicing wand movements. Moaning and yawning, Harry, Ron and Alfred spent most of their free time in the library with her, trying to get through all their extra work.

"I'll never remember this," Ron burst out one afternoon, throwing down his quill and looking longingly out of the library window. It was the first really fine day they'd had in months. The sky was a clear, forget-me-not blue, and there was a feeling in the air of summer coming. Harry, was looking up "Dittany" in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi.

"Alfred… You still haven't answered my question." Hermione said she sounded annoyed.

"Wha-"Before Alfred could ask what question Hermione cut him off.

"How where you able to lift a tree so easily? Hagrid even had trouble lifting it!"

"I-I-I Work Out~!" Alfred said almost in a sing song voice…*

"Impossible." Hermione stated.

"Br-Iggy got a star stuck in his head! That's not impossible!" Alfred said loudly.

"Br?" Hermione asked catching his slip up

"Hagrid! What are you doing in the library?" Ron asked loudly and Hagrid shuffled into view, hiding something behind his back. He looked very out of place in his mole skin overcoat. "Jus' lookin'," he said, in a shifty voice that got their interest at once. "An' what're you lot up ter?"

He looked suddenly suspicious. "Yer not still lookin' fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?"

"Oh, we found out who he is ages ago, " said Ron impressively. "And we know what that dog's guarding, it's a Sorcerer's St - -"

"Shhhh!" Hagrid and Alfred said and Hagrid looked around quickly to see if anyone was listening. "Don' go shoutin' about it, what's the matter with yeh?"

"There are a few things we wanted to ask you, as a matter of fact, " said Harry, "about what's guarding the Stone apart from Fluffy - - "

Alfred face palmed, even _HE_ knew when things like that should be quiet.

"SHHHH!" said Hagrid again. "Listen - come an' see me later, I'm not promisin' I'll tell yeh anythin', mind, but don' go rabbitin' about it in here, students aren' s'pposed ter know. They'll think I've told yeh - -"

"See you later, then," said Harry. Hagrid shuffled off.

"What was he hiding behind his back?" said Hermione thoughtfully, forgetting she was interrogating her suspicious friend. "Do you think it had anything to do with the Stone?"

"I'm going to see what section he was in," said Ron, who'd had enough of working. He came back a minute later with a pile of books in his arms and slammed them down on the table.

"Dragons!" he whispered. "Hagrid was looking up stuff about dragons! Look at these: Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland (Alfred laughed for some reason); From Egg to Inferno, A Dragon Keeper's Guide."

"Hagrid's always wanted a dragon, he told me so the first time I ever met him," said Harry.

"But it's against our laws," said Ron. "Dragon breeding was outlawed by the Warlocks' Convention of1709, everyone knows that. It's hard to stop Muggles from noticing us if we're keeping dragons in the back garden - anyway, you can't tame dragons, it's dangerous. You should see the burns Charlie's got off wild ones in Romania."

"PFFFT!" Alfred laughed; he seemed to be doing that a lot today.

"But there aren't wild dragons in Britain?" said Harry.

"Of course there are," said Ron.

"Pff!" Alfred was laughing a bit too much today.

"Common Welsh Green and Hebridean Blacks. The Ministry of Magic has a job hushing them up, I can tell you. Our kind have to keep putting spells on Muggles who've spotted them, to make them forget."

"So what on earths Hagrid up to?" said Hermione.

England's POV

England read the letter, surprised at how seriously America had written it, for instance he actually wrote Arthur, not Iggy. And he didn't mangle the language as bad as he normally did.

England sat down and began to write back at once.

When they knocked on the door of the gamekeeper's hut an hour later; Matthew was with them, they were surprised to see that all the curtains were closed.

Hagrid called "Who is it?" before he let them in, and then shut the door quickly behind them. It was stifling hot inside. Even though it was such a warm day, there was a blazing fire in the grate. Hagrid made them tea and offered them stoat sandwiches, which they refused.

"So - yeh wanted to ask me somethin'?"

"Yes," said Harry. There was no point beating around the bush.

"We were wondering if you could tell us what's guarding the Sorcerer's Stone apart from Fluffy.

Hagrid frowned at him. "0' course I can't," he said. "Number one, I don' know myself. Number two, yeh know too much already, so wouldn' tell yeh if I could. That Stone's here fer a good reason. It was almost stolen outta Gringotts - S'pposed yeh've worked that out an' all? Beats me how yeh even know abou' Fluffy."

"Oh, come on, Hagrid, you might not want to tell us, but you do know, you know everything that goes on round here, " said Hermione in a warm, flattering voice.

Hagrid's beard twitched and they could tell he was smiling.

"We only wondered who had done the guarding, really. " Hermione went on. "We wondered who Dumbledore had trusted enough to help him, apart from you."

Hagrid's chest swelled at these last words. Harry and Ron beamed at Hermione. Alfred and Matthew where getting very concerned.

"Well, I don' s'pose it could hurt ter tell yeh that... Let's see... He borrowed Fluffy from me... Then some o'the teachers did enchantments... Professor Sprout - Professor Flitwick - Professor McGonagall - - " he ticked them off on his fingers, "Professor Quirrell - an' Dumbledore himself did somethin', o' course. Hang on, I've forgotten someone. Oh yeah, Professor Snape."

"Snape?"

"Yeah - yer not still on abou' that, are yeh? Look, Snape helped protect the Stone; he's not about ter steal it."

Harry knew Ron and Hermione were thinking the same as he was. If Snape had been in on protecting the Stone, it must have been easy to find out how the other teachers had guarded it. He probably knew everything - except, it seemed, Quirrell's spell and how to get past Fluffy.

"You're the only one who knows how to get past Fluffy. Aren't you, Hagrid?" said Harry anxiously.

"And you wouldn't tell anyone, would you? Not even one of the teachers?"

"Not a soul knows except me an' Dumbledore," said Hagrid proudly.

"Well, that's something," Harry muttered to the others.

"Hagrid, can we have a window open? I'm boiling."

"Can't, Harry, sorry," said Hagrid. Harry noticed him glance at the fire. Harry looked at it, too.

"Hagrid - what's that?" But he already knew what it was. In the very heart of the fire, underneath the kettle, was a huge, black egg.

"Ah, " said Hagrid, fiddling nervously with his beard, "That's er... "

"Where did you get it, Hagrid?" said Ron, crouching over the fire to get a closer look at the egg. "It must've cost you a fortune."

"Won it," said Hagrid. "Las' night. I was down in the village havin' a few drinks an' got into a game o' cards with a stranger. Think he was quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest."

"But what are you going to do with it when it's hatched?" said Hermione.

"Well, I've bin doin' some readin', said Hagrid, pulling a large book from under his pillow."Got this outta the library - Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit - it's a bit outta date, o' course, but it's all in here. Keep the egg in the fire, 'cause their mothers breathe on fire on em, see, an' when it hatches, feed it on a bucketo' brandy mixed with chicken blood every half hour. An' see here - how ter recognize different eggs -what I got there's a Norwegian Ridgeback. They're rare, them."

He looked very pleased with himself, but Hermione didn't. "Hagrid, you live in a wooden house," she said. But Hagrid wasn't listening. He was humming merrily as he stoked the fire. So now they had something else to worry about: what might happen to Hagrid if anyone found out he was hiding an illegal dragon in his hut.

The next morning Alfred received a letter, as soon as he got it he went to the Hufflepuff table dragging wh- Matthew.

Alfred's POV.

As soon as they reached the room of requirement they opened the letter and began to read.

_**Matthew and Alfred,**_

_** I highly doubt Snape is after the stone, but from what you two have told me those three won't stop thinking that so easily. There's not much we really can do at the moment, sadly, I think it would be best if you stick close to that trio, make sure they don`t get themselves hurt! I wouldn't be surprised if someone was after the stone, and lately, I've been getting a bad feeling. Your best bet would be to figure out everything you can; My Boss isn't quite connected to the magical community so I won't be much help, Ask around if you can, YOU try to figure out how to get it, if you don't need to, leave it, if you do, you'll be one step ahead of the race.**_

_** -Arthur Kirkland**_

"Okay let's get writing!" Alfred said.

"Eh? When did you send the last letter?" Matthew asked confused.

"At night sometime." Alfred answered; "It was important, couldn't wait."

Alfred now felt like the situation was less intense than it was two weeks ago.

_**Iggy,**_

_**First, there's a dog name fluffy, then there's some enchantments from Professor Sprout, McGonagall, Quirrell, Snape, Flitwick and Dumbledore- isn't that name in your spell? Dumbledora the explora or something? – any way's there getting more curious and we think if they think something will happen, they will go for it.**_

_** -Alfred**_

_**I remembered to keep checking our heights this time. And I think Alfred's right. Also Hermione has been questioning Alfred alot lately, mainly his tree carrying before Christmas. Not much else to say, I hope we won't have to do anything rash.**_

_** -Matthew**_

The North America brothers sighed.

Harry's POV

"Wonder what it's like to have a peaceful life," Ron sighed, as evening after evening they struggled through all the extra homework they were getting. Hermione had started making study schedules for Harry and Ron, too. It was driving them nuts.

"Do you think Alfred will ever answer us?" Hermione asked as she watched Alfred head to bed.

"I don't know, what do you think he's hiding?" Harry wondered.

"Maybe he has super human strength?" Ron suggested.

"That much is obvious, maybe some kind of potion?" Hermione suggested.

"You're not giving up until you find out are you?" Ron asked.  
"Not a chance." Hermione replied.

Then, one breakfast time, Hedwig brought Harry another note from Hagrid. He had written only two words: its hatching. Ron wanted to skip Herbology and go straight down to the hut. Hermione wouldn't hear of it.

Alfred apologized and said he couldn't go, he was going to hang out with Matthew.

"Hermione, how many times in our lives are we going to see a dragon hatching?"

"We've got lessons, we'll get into trouble, and that's nothing to what Hagrid's going to be in when someone finds out what he's doing - - "

"Shut up!" Harry whispered. Malfoy was only a few feet away and he had stopped dead to listen. How much had he heard? Harry didn't like the look on Malfoy's face at all. Ron and Hermione argued all the way to Herbology and in the end, Hermione agreed to run down to Hagrid's with the other two during morning break. When the bell sounded from the castle at the end of their lesson, the three of them dropped their trowels at once and hurried through the grounds to the edge of the forest.

Alfred's POV

Alfred and Matthew sat in the room of requirement with books, trying to figure out anything they could to help them, anything to give them hints.

The next evening Alfred and Matthew where surprised to hear that Ron, Hermione, Harry and Malfoy had detention.

Yeah, sure, that would go well.

My fourth or fifth chapter posted today, is it normal to have a cramp between your elbow and shoulder? I think that's enough for today it's 11:47 p.m…


	14. Chapter fourteen: look out below!

Through the trap door

Harry`s POV.

In years to come, Harry would never quite remember how he had managed to get through his exams when he half expected Voldemort to come bursting through the door at any moment. Yet the days crept by, and there could be no doubt that Fluffy was still alive and well behind the locked door. It was sweltering hot, especially in the large classroom where they did their written papers. They had been given special, new quills for the exams, which had been bewitched with an Anti-Cheating spell. They had practical exams as well. Professor Flitwick called them one by one into his class to see if they could make a pineapple tap-dance across a desk. Professor McGonagall watched them turn a mouse into a snuffbox - points were given for how pretty the snuffbox was, but taken away if it had whiskers. Snape made them all nervous, breathing down their necks while they tried to remember how to make a Forgetfulness potion. Harry did the best he could, trying to ignore the stabbing pains in his forehead, which had been bothering him ever since his trip into the forest. Neville thought Harry had a bad case of exam nerves because Harry couldn't sleep, but the truth was that Harry kept being woken by his old nightmare, except that it was now worse than ever because there was a hooded figure dripping blood in it. Maybe it was because they hadn't seen what Harry had seen in the forest, or because they didn't have scars burning on their foreheads, but Ron and Hermione didn't seem as worried about the Stone as Harry, Alfred also seemed worried about the stone, know that he thought of it.

The idea of Voldemort certainly scared them, but he didn't keep visiting them in dreams, and they were so busy with their studying they didn't have much time to fret about what Snape or anyone else might be up to. Their very last exam was History of Magic. One hour of answering questions about batty old wizards who'd invented self-stirring cauldrons and they'd be free, free for a whole wonderful week until their exam results came out. When the ghost of Professor Binns told them to put down their quills and roll up their parchment, Harry couldn't help cheering with the rest.

"That was far easier than I thought it would be," said Hermione as they joined the crowds flocking out onto the sunny grounds.

"I needn't have learned about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager." Hermione always liked to go through their exam papers afterward, but Ron said this made him feel ill, so they wandered down to the lake and flopped under a tree. Alfred followed a bit behind, his Brother Matthew next to him. The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles of a giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows.

"No more studying," Ron sighed happily, stretching out on the grass.

"You could look more cheerful, Harry, we've got a week before we find out how badly we've done, there's no need to worry yet."

Harry was rubbing his forehead. "I wish I knew what this means!" he burst out angrily. "My scar keeps hurting - it's happened before, but never as often as this." Alfred looked at him with concern.

"Go to Madam Pomfrey, " Hermione suggested.

"I'm not ill," said Harry.

"I think it's a warning... It means danger's coming... "Ron couldn't get worked up, it was too hot.

"Harry, relax, Hermione's right, the Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore's around. Anyway, we've never had any proof Snape found out how to get past Fluffy. He nearly had his leg ripped off once, he's not going to try it again in a hurry. And Neville will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down."

Harry nodded, but he couldn't shake off a lurking feeling that there was something he'd forgotten to do, something important. When he tried to explain this, Hermione said, "That's just the exams. I woke up last night and was halfway through my Transfiguration notes before I remembered we'd done that one.

Harry was quite sure the unsettled feeling didn't have anything to do with work, though. He watched an owl flutter toward the school across the bright blue sky, a note clamped in its mouth. Hagrid was the only one who ever sent him letters. Hagrid would never betray Dumbledore. Hagrid would never tell anyone how to get past Fluffy... Never... But -Harry suddenly jumped to his feet.

"Where're you going?" said Ron sleepily.

"I've just thought of something, " said Harry. He had turned white.

"We've got to go and see Hagrid, now. "

"Why?" panted Hermione, hurrying to keep up.

"Don't you think it's a bit odd, " said Harry, scrambling up the grassy slope,

"That what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have an egg in his pocket? How many people wander around with dragon eggs if it's against wizard law? Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think? Why didn't I see it before?"

"What are you talking about?" said Ron, but Harry, sprinting across the grounds toward the forest, didn't answer. Alfred seemed to have a look of realization and so did Matthew, who had joined them moments earlier.

Hagrid was sitting in an armchair outside his house; his trousers and sleeves were rolled up, and he was shelling peas into a large bowl. "Hullo," he said, smiling. "Finished yer exams? Got time fer a drink?"

"Yes, please," said Ron, but Harry cut him off. "No, we're in a hurry. Hagrid, I've got to ask you something. You know that night you won Norbert? What did the stranger you were playing cards with look like?"

"Dunno, " said Hagrid casually, "he wouldn' take his cloak off. "He saw the three of them look stunned and raised his eyebrows. "It's not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head - that's the pub down in the village. Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up.

"Harry sank down next to the bowl of peas. "What did you talk to him about, Hagrid? Did you mention Hogwarts at all?"

"Mighta come up," said Hagrid, frowning as he tried to remember. "Yeah... He asked what I did, an' I told him I was gamekeeper here... He asked a bit about the sorta creatures I took after... So I told him... An' I said what I'd always really wanted was a dragon... An' then... I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks... Let's see... Yeah, then he said he had the dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted... But he had ter be sure I could handle it, he didn' want it ter go ter any old home... So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy..."

"And did he - did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Harry asked, try ing to keep his voice calm, Surprisingly Alfred, the one who was calmest during the fight with the Troll seemed to be panicking, not that he showed it, but it was obvious, and Matthew kept shifting.

"Well - yeah - how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy 'sa piece o' cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep - - "Hagrid suddenly looked horrified. "I shouldn'ta told yeh that!" he blurted out. "Forget I said it! Hey - where're yeh goin'?"

Harry, Ron, Matthew, Alfred and Hermione didn't speak to each other at all until they came to a halt in the entrance hall, which seemed very cold and gloomy after the grounds.

"We've got to go to Dumbledore," said Harry. "Hagrid told that stranger how to get past Fluffy, and it was either Snape or Voldemort under that cloak - it must've been easy, once he'd got Hagrid drunk. I just hope Dumbledore believes us. Firenze might back us up if Bane doesn't stop him. Where's Dumbledore's office?"

They looked around, as if hoping to see a sign pointing them in the right direction. They had never been told where Dumbledore lived, nor did they know anyone who had been sent to see him.

"We'll just have to - - "Harry began, but a voice suddenly rang across the hall. "What are you three doing inside?" It was Professor McGonagall, carrying a large pile of books.

"We want to see Professor Dumbledore," said Hermione, rather bravely, Harry and Ron thought, Matthew and Alfred still seemed shocked at the news.

"See Professor Dumbledore?" Professor McGonagall repeated, as though this was a very fishy thing to want to do. "Why?"

Harry swallowed - now what? "It's sort of secret," he said, but he wished at once he hadn't, because Professor McGonagall's nostrils flared.

"Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago," she said coldly. "He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and flew off for London at once."

"He's gone?" said Harry frantically. "Now?"

"Professor Dumbledore is a very great wizard, Potter, he has many demands on his time –"

"But this is important."

"Something you have to say is more important than the Ministry of Magic, Potter.

"Look," said Harry, throwing caution to the winds, "Professor - it's about the Sorcerer's stone - -"

Whatever Professor McGonagall had expected, it wasn't that. The books she was carrying tumbled out of her arms, but she didn't pick them up. "How do you know -?" she spluttered.

"Professor, I think - I know - that Sn-that someone's going to try and steal the Stone. I've got to talk to Professor Dumbledore."

She eyed him with a mixture of shock and suspicion. "Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow," she said finally. "I don't know how you found out about the Stone, but rest assured, no one can possibly steal it, it's too well protected."

"But Professor - -

"Potter, I know what I'm talking about, " she said shortly. She bent down and gathered up the fallen books. I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine."

But they didn't. "It's tonight," said Harry, once he was sure Professor McGonagall was out of earshot. "Snape's going through the trapdoor tonight. He's found out everything he needs, and now he's got Dumbledore out of the way. He sent that note; I bet the Ministry of Magic will get a real shock when Dumbledore turns up."

"But what can we - - " Hermione gasped. Harry and Ron wheeled round. Snape was standing there.

"Good afternoon, " he said smoothly. They stared at him. "You shouldn't be inside on a day like this," he said, with an odd, twisted smile.

"We were - - "Harry began, without any idea what he was going to say.

"You want to be more careful," said Snape. "Hanging around like this, people will think you're up to something. And Gryffindor really can't afford to lose any more points, can it?"

Harry flushed. They turned to go outside, but Snape called them back. "Be warned, Potter - any more nighttime wanderings and I will personally make sure you are expelled. Good day to you."

He strode off in the direction of the staffroom. Out on the stone steps, Harry turned to the others. "Right, here's what we've got to do," he whispered urgently. "One of us has got to keep an eye on Snape- wait outside the staff room and follow him if he leaves it. Hermione, you'd better do that, Matthew too." Harry said remembering the Canadian quietly standing next to Alfred.

"Why me?"

"It's obvious," said Ron. "You can pretend to be waiting for Professor Flitwick, you know." He put on a high voice, "Oh Professor Flitwick, I'm so worried, I think I got question fourteen b wrong... '"

"Oh, shut up," said Hermione, but she agreed to go and watch out for Snape.

"And we'd better stay outside the third-floor corridor," Harry told Ron and Alfred. "Come on." But that part of the plan didn't work. No sooner had they reached the door separating Fluffy from the rest of the school than Professor McGonagall turned up again and this time, she lost her temper.

"I suppose you think you're harder to get past than a pack of enchantments!" she stormed. "Enough of this nonsense! If I hear you've come anywhere near here again, I'll take another fifty points from Gryffindor! Yes, Weasley, from my own house!"

Harry and Ron went back to the common room, Harry had just said, "At least Hermione's on Snape's tail,"

"Dude, I've got a bad feeling about this." Alfred said.

when the portrait of the Fat Lady swung open and Hermione and Matthew came in. "I'm sorry, Harry!" she wailed. "Snape came out and asked me what I was doing, so I said I was waiting for Flitwick, and Snape went to get him, and I've only just got away, I don't know where Snape went."

"Well, that's it then, isn't it?" Harry said. The other two stared at him. He was pale and his eyes were glittering. "I'm going out of here tonight and I'm going to try and get to the Stone first."

Alfred's POV

'and there's the bad feeling.'

"You're mad!" said Ron.

"You can't!" said Hermione.

"After what McGonagall and Snape have said? You'll be expelled!"

"SO WHAT" Harry shouted.

"Don't you understand? If Snape gets hold of the Stone, Voldemort's coming back! Haven't you heard what it was like when he was trying to take over? There won't be any Hogwarts to get expelled from! He'll flatten it, or turn it into a school for the Dark Arts! Losing points doesn't matter anymore, can't you see? Do you think he'll leave you and your families alone if Gryffindor wins the house cup? If I get caught before I can get to the Stone, well, I'll have to go back to the Dursleys and wait for Voldemort to find me there, it's only dying a bit later than I would have, because I'm never going over to the Dark Side! I'm going through that trapdoor tonight and nothing you two say is going to stop me! Voldemort killed my parents, remember?" He glared at them.

"You're right Harry, " said Hermione in a small voice.

"I'll use the invisibility cloak, " said Harry.

"It's just lucky I got it back. "

"But will it cover all four of us?" said Ron.

"All - all four of us?"

"Actually all five eh."

"Hey Cana-dian! You don't need it you're like what Iggy would say! Double o' Ninja!"

"Hey Canadian?" Hermione asked; "why didn't you say Mattie like you always do?"

Alfred shrugged. "It was getting boring."

"All five of us?" Harry asked again.

"Oh, come off it, you don't think we'd let you go alone?"

"Of course not," said Hermione briskly.

"How do you think you'd get to the Stone without us? I'd better go and took through my books; there might be something useful..."

"But if we get caught, you two will be expelled, too."

"Not if I can help it, " said Hermione grimly.

"Flitwick told me in secret that I got a hundred and twelve percent on his exam. They're not throwing me out after that."

"Be right back okay guys!" Alfred said dragging the invisible ninja with him.

"Let's write this fast."

"Agreed."

_**Iggy,**_

_**We're going in.**_

_** Alfred & Matthew**_

"That's quick enough."

"Agreed."

After dinner the three of them sat nervously apart in the common room. Nobody bothered them; none of the Gryffindors had anything to say to Harry any more, after all. This was the first night he hadn't been upset by it. Hermione was skimming through all her notes, hoping to come across one of the enchantments they were about to try to break. Harry and Ron didn't talk much. Both of them were thinking about what they were about to do. Slowly, the room emptied as people drifted off to bed.

"Better get the cloak," Ron muttered, as Lee Jordan finally left, stretching and yawning. Harry ran upstairs to their dark dormitory. He putted out the cloak and then his eyes fell on the flute Hagrid had given him for Christmas. He pocketed it to use on Fluffy - he didn't feel much like singing. He ran back down to the common room.

"We'd better put the cloak on here, and make sure it covers all four of us, Matthew might be able to go without needing it - if Filch spots one of our feet wandering along on its own - - "

"What are you doing?" said a voice from the corner of the room. Neville appeared from behind an armchair, clutching Trevor the toad, who looked as though he'd been making another bid for freedom.

"Nothing, Neville, nothing, " said Harry, hurriedly putting the cloak behind his back. Neville stared at their guilty faces.

"You're going out again," he said.

"No, no, no," said Hermione.

"No, we're not. Why don't you go to bed, Neville?" Harry looked at the grandfather clock by the door. They couldn't afford to waste any more time, Snape might even now be playing Fluffy to sleep. "

You can't go out, " said Neville, "you'll be caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble."

"You don't understand," said Harry, "this is important."

"Dude were trying to save everyone's asses!" Alfred exclaimed.

But Neville was clearly steeling himself to do something desperate. I won't let you do it, " he said, hurrying to stand in front of the portrait hole.

"I'll - I'll fight you!"

"Neville," Ron exploded, "get away from that hole and don't be an idiot - - "

"Don't you call me an idiot!" said Neville. "I don't think you should be breaking any more rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up to people!"

"Yes, but not to us, " said Ron in exasperation.

"Neville, you don't know what you're doing." He took a step forward and Neville dropped Trevor the toad, who leapt out of sight.

"Go on then, try and hit me!" said Neville, raising his fists. "I'm ready!"

Harry turned to Hermione. "Do something, " he said desperately. Hermione stepped forward. "Neville," she said, "I'm really, really sorry about this. "She raised her wand. "Petrificus Totalus!" she cried, pointing it at Neville. Neville's arms snapped to his sides. His legs sprang together. His whole body rigid, he swayed where he stood and then fell flat on his face, stiff as a board. Hermione ran to turn him over. Neville's jaws were jammed together so he couldn't speak. Only his eyes were moving, looking at them in horror.

"What've you done to him?" Harry whispered. "It's the full Body-Bind," said Hermione miserably. "Oh, Neville, I'm so sorry."

"We had to, Neville, no time to explain," said Harry.

"You'll understand later, Neville," said Ron;

"A Hero wouldn't let something like this happen unless it was an emergency, which it is."

As they stepped over him and pulled on the invisibility cloak. But leaving Neville lying motionless on the floor didn't feel like a very good omen. In their nervous state, every statue's shadow looked like Filch, every distant breath of wind sounded like Peeves swooping down on them, Ron had to cover Alfred's mouth before he could shot, At the foot of the first set of stairs, they spotted Mrs. Norris skulking near the top.

"Oh, let's kick her, just this once," Ron whispered in Harry's ear, but Harry shook his head. As they climbed carefully around her, Mrs. Norris turned her lampl ike eyes on them, but didn't do anything. They didn't meet anyone else until they reached the staircase up to the third floor. Peeves was bobbing halfway up, loosening the carpet so that people would trip.

"Who's there?" he said suddenly as they climbed toward him. He narrowed his wicked black eyes. "Know you're there, even if I can't see you. Are you ghoulie or ghostie or wee student beastie?"

He rose up in the air and floated there, squinting at them. "Should call Filch, I should, if something's a-creeping around unseen."

Alfred was shaking, it was surprising the cloak was still on him, Ron had covered his mouth so he couldn't scream and Hermione was trying to calm him down.

Matthew was standing right next to them, not that they noticed.

Harry had a sudden idea. "Peeves," he said, in a hoarse whisper, "the Bloody Baron has his own reasons for being invisible."

Peeves almost fell out of the air in shock. He caught himself in time and hovered about a foot off the stairs. "So sorry, your bloodiness, Mr. Baron, Sir," he said greasily.

"My mistake, my mistake - I didn't see you- of course I didn't, you're invisible - forgive old Peevsie his little joke, sir."

"I have business here, Peeves," croaked Harry. "Stay away from this place tonight."

"I will, sir, I most certainly." said Peeves, rising up in the air again.

"Hope your business goes well, Baron, I'll not bother you." And he scooted off

"Brilliant, Harry!" whispered Ron.

"g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-…" Alfred hadn't recovered yet.

A few seconds later, they were there, outside the third-floor corridor - and the door was already ajar.

"Well, there you are," Harry said quietly,

"Snape's already got past Fluffy."

"Okay everyone I've got a plan!" Alfred said.

Everyone listened intently.

"Harry-Back me up, Ron-Back me up, Hermione-Back me up, Mattie- back me up." Alfred said.

"SO it's Mattie again?" Hermione asked, Alfred shrugged; "To much work saying Canadian all the time, Mattie is easier."

Seeing the open door somehow seemed to impress upon all three of them what was facing them. Underneath the cloak, Harry turned to the other four.

"If you want to go back, I won't blame you," he said. "You can take the cloak, I won't need it now."

"Don't be stupid," said Ron.

"We're coming, " said Hermione.

"Hero Here Stupid statement harry dude!" Said Alfred.

"Let's try our best, and try not to be too violent." Matthew said earning strange looks.

"Eh?"

"Who?"

Matthew once again whispered into the bears fur… it sounded like ca?

Harry put the thought to the back of his head and pushed the door open. As the door creaked, low, rumbling growls met their ears. All three of the dog's noses sniffed madly in their direction, even though it couldn't see them.

"What's that at its feet?" Hermione whispered.

"Looks like a harp," said Ron.

"Snape must have left it there."

"It must wake up the moment you stop playing," said Harry.

"Well, here goes..." He put Hagrid's flute to his lips and blew. It wasn't really a tune, but from the first note the beast's eyes began to droop. Harry hardly drew breath. Slowly, the dog's growls ceased - it tottered on its paws and fell to its knees, then it slumped to the ground, fast asleep.

"Keep playing," Ron warned Harry as they slipped out of the cloak and crept toward the trapdoor. They could feel the dog's hot, smelly breath as they approached the giant heads. 7

"I think we'll be able to pull the door open," said Ron, peering over the dog's back.

"Want to go first, Hermione?"

"No, I don't!"

"I'll GO!" Alfred said loudly, almost waking the dog, and jumping into the trap door.

"I'll go next." Matthew tiptoed over and lowered himself down.

It was almost scary how opposite they were.

"All right." Ron gritted his teeth and stepped carefully over the dog's legs. He bent and pulled the ring of the trapdoor, which swung up and open.

"What can you see?" Hermione said anxiously.

"Nothing - just black - there's no way of climbing down, we'll just have to drop."

Harry, who was still playing the flute, waved at Ron to get his attention and pointed at himself. "You want to go next? Are you sure?" said Ron.

"I don't know how deep this thing goes. Give the flute to Hermione so she can keep him asleep."

Harry handed the flute over. In the few seconds' silence, the dog growled and twitched, but the moment Hermione began to play, it fell back into its deep sleep. Harry climbed over it and looked down through the trapdoor. There was no sign of the bottom. He lowered himself through the hole until he was hanging on by his fingertips. Then he looked up at Ron and said,

"If anything happens to me, don't follow. Go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, right?"

"Right," said Ron.

"You guys do realize me and Matthew are already down here right!" An Impatient and annoyed American shouted.

"See you in a minute..." And Harry let go. Cold, damp air rushed past him as he fell down, down, down and - FLUMP. With a funny, muffled sort of thump he landed on something soft. He sat up and felt around, his eyes not used to the gloom. It felt as though he was sitting on some sort of plant.

"Alright next!" he called up to the light the size of a postage stamp, which was the open trapdoor,

"It's a soft landing, you can jump!"

"No duh if we were already down here yelling at you to come down dude!" Alfred said annoyed at being forgotten.

Matthew just sighed.

Ron followed right away. He landed, sprawled next to Harry.

"What's this stuff?" were his first words.

"Dunno, some sort of plant thing. I suppose it's here to break the fall. Come on, Hermione!"

The distant music stopped. There was a loud bark from the dog, but Hermione had already jumped. She landed on Harry's other side.

"We must be miles under the school, she said.

"Lucky this plant thing's here, really," said Ron.

"Lucky!" shrieked Hermione. "Look at you all!" She leapt up and struggled toward a damp wall. She had to struggle because the moment she had landed, the plant had started to twist snakelike tendrils around her ankles. As for Harry and Ron, their legs had already been bound, same with Alfred's, legs.

"DUDE! Not. Cool. This reminds me of when my legs where all…Pictoniantized? Yeah that sounds right."

Hermione had managed to free herself before the plant got a firm grip on her. Now she watched in horror as the three boys fought to pull the plant off them, but the more they strained against it, the tighter and faster the plant wound around them.

Matthew was already free at the bottom.

"Stop moving!" Hermione ordered them. "I know what this is - it's Devil's Snare!"

"Oh, I'm so glad we know what it's called, that's a great help," snarled Ron, leaning back, trying to stop the plant from curling around his neck. "Shut up, I'm trying to remember how to kill it!" said Hermione.

"Well, hurry up, I can't breathe!" Harry gasped, wrestling with it as it curled around his chest.

"Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare... What did Professor Sprout say? - It likes the dark and the damp"

"So light a fire!" Harry choked.

"Yes - of course - but there's no wood!" Hermione cried, wringing her hands.

Matthew gave her a look of utter surprise.

"HAVE YOU GONE MAD?" Ron bellowed. "ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?"

"Oh, right!" said Hermione, and she whipped out her wand, waved it, muttered something, and sent a jet of the same bluebell flames she had used on Snape at the plant. In a matter of seconds, the three boys felt it loosening its grip as it cringed away from the light and warmth. Wriggling and flailing, it unraveled itself from their bodies, and they were able to pull free.

"Dude it felt the same as when the pictonians came!" Alfred told his brother earning strange looks from Hermione, Ron and Harry.

"Anyway…"

"Lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Hermione" said Harry as he joined her by the wall, wiping sweat off his face.

"Yeah," said Ron, "and lucky Harry doesn't lose his head in a crisis - 'there's no wood, ' honestly. "

"This way," said Harry, pointing down a stone passageway, which was the only way forward. All they could hear apart from their footsteps was the gentle drip of water trickling down the walls. The passage way sloped downward, and Harry was reminded of Gringotts. With an unpleasant jolt of the heart, he remembered the dragons said to be guarding vaults in the wizards' bank. If they met a dragon, a fully-grown dragon - Norbert had been bad enough...

"Can you hear something?" Ron whispered.

Cliff hanger sorry but my right arm has the worst cramp and it hurts.

New chapter soon its 1:30am here.


	15. Chapter 15: 00

I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER OR HETALIA

I think I died after that last chapter- my arm is sore.

Harry listened. A soft rustling and clinking seemed to be coming from up ahead.

"Do you think it's a ghost?"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Alfred screamed jumping into Matthews arms; Alfred had enough of ghost's thank you very much.

"Maple-Alfred You're to-!" Matthew began but fell backwards, Hermione just shook her head.

"I don't know... Sounds like wings to me. "

"There's light ahead - I can see something moving."

"NO! DON'T MOVE TOWARD THE LIGHT!" Alfred shouted.

"Eh! Calm down Alfred!" Matthew whisper/yelled.

They reached the end of the passageway and saw before them a brilliantly lit chamber, its ceiling arching high above them. It was full of small, jewel-bright birds, fluttering and tumbling all around the room. On the opposite side of the chamber was a heavy wooden door.

"Do you think they'll attack us if we cross the room?" said Ron.

"Probably, " said Harry.

"They don't look very vicious, but I suppose if they all swooped down at once... Well, there's no other choice... I'll run."

He took a deep breath, covered his face with his arms, and sprinted across the room. He expected to feel sharp beaks and claws tearing at him any second, but nothing happened. He reached the door untouched. He pulled the handle, but it was locked. The other two followed him. They tugged and heaved at the door, but it wouldn't budge, not even when Hermione tried her Alohomora charm.

"Now what?" said Ron.

"These birds... They can't be here just for decoration," said Hermione.

They watched the birds soaring overhead, glittering - glittering?

"They're not birds!" Harry said suddenly. "They're keys! Winged keys - look carefully. So that must mean..."

He looked around the chamber while the other two squinted up at the flock of keys. "... Yes -look! Broomsticks! We've got to catch the key to the door!"

"But there are hundreds of them!" Ron examined the lock on the door. "We're looking for a big, old-fashioned one - probably silver, like the handle."

They each seized a broomstick and kicked off into the air, soaring into the midst of the cloud of keys. They grabbed and snatched, but the bewitched keys darted and dived so quickly it was almost impossible to catch one. Not for nothing, though, was Harry the youngest Seeker in a century. He had a knack for spotting things other people didn't. After a minute's weaving about through the whirl of rainbow feathers, he noticed a large silver key that had a bent wing, as if it had already been caught and stuffed roughly into the keyhole.

"That one!" he called to the others. "That big one - there - no, there - with bright blue wings – the feathers are all crumpled on one side." Ron went speeding in the direction that Harry was pointing, crashed into the ceiling, and nearly fell off his broom. "We've got to close in on it!" Harry called, not taking his eyes off the key with the damaged wing.

They didn't hear Alfred shout: "Screw this!" And they didn't see him break the door.

"Why do you have to be so violent eh?" Matthew asked

Alfred was picking up the door and swung it on to his shoulder and looked at Matthew; "huh?"

"I-i-i- wasn't saying anything!"

"When I said 'Huh' I meant I couldn't hear you woud'ja say dude?"

"Nothing important!"

"Ron, you come at it from above - Hermione, stay below and stop it from going down and I'll try and catch it. Right, NOW!"

Ron dived, Hermione rocketed upward, the key dodged them both, and Harry streaked after it; it sped toward the wall, Harry leaned forward and with a nasty, crunching noise, pinned it against the stone with one hand. Ron and Hermione's cheers echoed round the high chamber. They landed quickly, and Harry ran to the door, planning on putting the key in, but he dropped it looking in disbelief.

"Told you dudes." Alfred shrugged.

"Er…Ready then?" Harry asked the other two, his hand on the door handle. They nodded. He pulled the door open. The next chamber was so dark they couldn't see anything at all. But as they stepped into it, light suddenly flooded the room to reveal an astonishing sight. They were standing on the edge of a huge chessboard, behind the black chessmen, which were all taller than they were and carved from what looked like black stone. Facing them, way across the chamber, were the white pieces. Harry, Ron and Hermione shivered slightly - the towering white chessmen had no faces.

"Now what do we do?" Harry whispered.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" said Ron.

"We've got to play our way across the room."

Behind the white pieces they could see another door.

"How?" said Hermione nervously.

"I think," said Ron,

"we're going to have to be chessmen." He walked up to a black knight and put his hand out to touch the knight's horse. At once, the stone sprang to life. The horse pawed the ground and the knight turned his helmeted head to look down at Ron.

"Do we - er - have to join you to get across?" The black knight nodded. Ron turned to the other two. "This needs thinking about he said. I suppose we've got to take the place of three of the black pieces... "

Harry and Hermione stayed quiet, watching Ron think. Finally he said,

"Now, don't be offended or anything, but neither of you are that good at chess - - "

"We're not offended," said Harry quickly. "Just tell us what to do."

"Let's knock are way through!" An American suggested.

"Well, Harry, you take the place of that bishop, and Hermione, YOU 90 next to him instead of that castle."

"What about you?"

"DON'T IGNORE ME!" An American yelled as a Canadian patted his back.

"I'm going to be a knight," said Ron. The chessmen seemed to have been listening, because at these words a knight, a bishop, and a castle turned their backs on the white pieces and walked off the board, leaving three empty squares that Harry, Ron, and Hermione took.

"Matthew and Alfred stay there alright!"

"I'm Not taking orders from y-!" Alfred began.

Matthew covered his mouth; "OK." He whisper/yelled and the American pouted.

"White always plays first in chess," said Ron, peering across the board.

"Yes... Look... "

A white pawn had moved forward two squares. Ron started to direct the black pieces. They moved silently wherever he sent them. Harry's knees were trembling. What if they lost?

"Harry - move diagonally four squares to the right."

Their first real shock came when their other knight was taken. The white queen smashed him to the floor and dragged him off the board, where he lay quite still, facedown.

"Had to let that happen," said Ron, looking shaken.

"Leaves you free to take that bishop, Hermione, go on.

"Every time one of their men was lost, the white pieces showed no mercy. Soon there was a huddle of limp black players slumped along the wall. Alfred watched cheering Ron after every move, not during cause he didn't want to mess him up. Matthew couldn't watch, his face was hidden in the bear's fur, which he still had with him. Twice, Ron only just noticed in time that Harry and Hermione were in danger.

He himself darted around the board, taking almost as many white pieces as they had lost black ones. "We're nearly there," he muttered suddenly.

"Let me think let me think..."

The white queen turned her blank face toward him.

"Yes…" said Ron softly, "It's the only way... I've got to be taken. "

"NO!" Harry, Alfred, Matthew and Hermione shouted.

"That's chess!" snapped Ron.

"You've got to make some sacrifices! I take one step forward and she'll take me - that leaves you free to checkmate the king, Harry!"

"But - -"

"Do you want to stop Snape or not?"

"Ron - -"

"Alfred. Ever notice how much chess is like…" Matthew trailed off quietly.

"war." Alfred agreed quietly.

"Look, if you don't hurry up, he'll already have the Stone!"

There was no alternative.

"Ready?" Ron called his face pale but determined.

"Here I go - now, don't hang around once you've won."

He stepped forward, and the white queen pounced. She struck Ron hard across the head with her stone arm, and he crashed to the floor - Hermione screamed but stayed on her square, Matthew looked very upset; Alfred looked away - the white queen dragged Ron to one side. He looked as if he'd been knocked out. Shaking, Harry moved three spaces to the left. The white king took off his crown and threw it at Harry's feet. They had won. The chessmen parted and bowed, leaving the door ahead clear. With one last desperate look back at Ron, Harry and Hermione charged through the door and up the next passageway, Matthew stayed back with Ron and Alfred went on with Hermione and Harry.

"What if he's -?"

"He'll be all right," said Harry, trying to convince himself.

"What do you reckon's next?"

"We've had Sprout's, that was the Devil's Snare; Flitwick must've put charms on the keys; McGonagall transfigured the chessmen to make them alive; that leaves Quirrell's spell, and Snape's."

"Dude I am getting a real bad feeling!" Alfred said.

They had reached another door.

"All right?" Harry whispered.

"Go on." Harry pushed it open. A disgusting smell filled their nostrils, making both of them pull their robes up over their noses. Eyes watering, they saw, flat on the floor in front of them, a troll even larger than the one they had tackled, out cold with a bloody lump on its head.

"I'm glad we didn't have to fight that one," Harry whispered as they stepped carefully over one of its massive legs.

"Come on, I can't breathe."

"Dude that's nasty!"

He pulled open the next door, both of them hardly daring to look at what came next - but there was nothing very frightening in here, just a table with seven differently shaped bottles standing on it in a line.

"Snape's, " said Harry. "What do we have to do?"

They stepped over the threshold, and immediately a fire sprang up behind them in the doorway. It wasn't ordinary fire either; it was purple. At the same instant, black flames shot up in the doorway leading onward. They were trapped.

"Look!" Hermione seized a roll of paper lying next to the bottles. Harry looked over her shoulder to read it: Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind, Two of us will help you, whichever you would find, One among us seven will let you move ahead, Another will transport the drinker back instead, Two among our number hold only nettle wine, Three of us are killers, waiting bidden in line.

Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore, To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four: First, however slyly the poison tries to hide You will always find some on nettle wine's left side; Second, different are those who stand at either end, But if you would move onward, neither is your friend; Third, as you see clearly, all are different size, Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides ;Fourth, the second left and the second on the right are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight. Hermione let out a great sigh and Harry, amazed, saw that she was smiling, the very last thing he felt like doing.

"Brilliant," said Hermione. "This isn't magic - it's logic - a puzzle. A lot of the greatest wizards haven't got an ounce of logic; they'd be stuck in here forever."

"But so will we, won't we?"

"Of course not," said Hermione. "Everything we need is here on this paper. Seven bottles: three are poison; two are wine; one will get us safely through the black fire, and one will get us back through the purple. "

"But how do we know which to drink?"

Alfred was curiously watching.

"Give me a minute" Hermione read the paper several times. Then she walked up and down the line of bottles, muttering to herself and pointing at them. At last, she clapped her hands. "Got it," she said. "The smallest bottle will get us through the black fire - toward the Stone."

Harry looked at the tiny bottle. "There's only enough there for one of us, " he said.

"That's hardly one swallow. "They looked at each other.

"Which one will get you back through the purple flames?"

Hermione pointed at a rounded bottle at the right end of the line. "You drink that," said Harry.

"No, listen, get back and get Ron. Grab brooms from the flying-key room, they'll get you out of the trapdoor and past Fluffy - go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, we need him. I might be able to hold Snape off for a while, but I'm no match for him, really. "

"But Harry - what if You-Know-Who's with him?" "Well - I was lucky once, wasn't I?" said Harry, pointing at his scar. "I might get lucky again."

Hermione's lip trembled, and she suddenly dashed at Harry and threw her arms around him.

"Hermione!"

"Harry - you're a great wizard, you know."

"I'm not as good as you," said Harry, very embarrassed, as she let go of him.

"Me!" said Hermione. "Books! And cleverness! There are more important things - friendship and bravery and - oh Harry - be careful!"

"You drink first, " said Harry. "You are sure which is which, aren't you?"

"Uhh… Guys… AM I GUNNA BE FREAKIN' STUCK HERE FOREVER!" Alfred shouted louder than ever, obviously being pissed off, for the past 5 minutes he's been saying nothing but "Hey!" "Look~!" "LISTEN!"

"That's not good." Hermione said.

"WHAT'S NOT GOOD?" Alfred asked loudly.

She showed him the two bottles, both only had enough for one.

"SCREW THIS… AGAIN!" Alfred shouted walking to the wall, rolling up a sleeve.

"I'll just do what china did!" Alfred shouted, not realizing what he had just said and paused.

"Which way am I going? Back or forward?" He asked completely calm.

Hermione looked a bit concerned; "You should go forward with Harry, I'll go help Ron and… Matthew!"

"HI YA~!" Alfred shouted with bad pronunciation chopping his hand to the side of the wall.

Hermione She took a drink from the round bottle at the end, and shuddered.

"It's not poison?" said Harry anxiously.

"No - but it's like ice."

"Quick, go, before it wears off. "

"Good luck - take care. "

"GO!" Hermione turned and walked straight through the purple fire. Harry took a deep breath and picked up the smallest bottle. He turned to face the black flames.

"Here I come," he said, and he drained the little bottle in one gulp. It was indeed as though ice was flooding his body.

" YA~!" Alfred shouted (Still bad pronunciation) breaking the wall as Harry walked through the fire.

Harry was absolutely surprised for two reasons; One: His friend knocked down a stone wall and two: There was someone already there. It wasn't Snape, and it wasn't Voldemort.

No. more. chapters. for. at. least. until. i. get. sleep. it. is. 2:11am and i have writen around 7 chapters, and. if. i. dont. stop. my. arm. wont. stop. crampiiiiing.


	16. Message!

Alright! Only one or two more chapters left~!

FIRST!

Dear awesomely amazing reviewers,

I am pleased to say YOU ARE AWESOME~! You guys have helped me through this; I appreciate your thoughts on the story, and the tips you gave me! I honestly don't think I would have finished this story without you! This will be the first fan fiction I have ever completed! (I have about twenty different stories on my computer with a chapter or three 0.0)

You guys are so awesome, I think even Prussia might be out-awesomed!

-A very happy writer~!

Prussia: NO! I am awesome! Kneel down and cry!

THIS IS IMPORTANT! Should I continue the story after? Make a chamber of secrets? This decision will change the end of the story. should I continue it on afterward? I think I would go to at least make it to the Goblet of fire or half-blood prince if I continued- lots of things I could do to the Goblet of fire... But depending on what happens, the ending of the story would be different. Say I stop after this story – the ending will be different then if I continue.

Also if I do go to the next book- Expect a newcomer.

What would you guys like? I'm alright to stop after this story; I'm also alright with continuing it. There's a poll on my profile if I should continue on to the next book or not.

It's up to you readers!


	17. Chapter seventeen: Showtime!

Showtime~! Last chapter!

I will be continuing after this book: D

I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER OR HETALIA

Harry POV

"You!" gasped Harry.

Quirrell smiled. His face wasn't twitching at all. "Me," he said calmly. "I wondered whether I'd be meeting you here, Potter."

"But I thought - Snape - -"

"How could it be you?"

"Severus?" Quirrell laughed, and it wasn't his usual quivering treble, either, but cold and sharp.

"Yes, Severus does seem the type, doesn't he? So useful to have him swooping around like an overgrown bat. Next to him, who would suspect p-p-poor, st-stuttering P-Professor Quirrell?"

Harry couldn't take it in. This couldn't be true, it couldn't. "But Snape tried to kill me!"

Alfred looked very surprised as well.

"No, no, no. I tried to kill you. Your friend Miss Granger accidentally knocked me over as she rushed to set fire to Snape at that Quidditch match. She broke my eye contact with you. Another few seconds and I'd have got you off that broom. I'd have managed it before then if Snape hadn't been muttering a counter curse, trying to save you."

"Snape was trying to save me?"

"Of course," said Quirrell coolly. "Why do you think he wanted to referee your next match? He was trying to make sure I didn't do it again. Funny, really... He needn't have bothered. I couldn't do anything with Dumbledore watching. All the other teachers thought Snape was trying to stop Gryffindor from winning; he did make himself unpopular... And what a waste of time, when after all that, I'm going to kill you tonight. "

Quirrell snapped his fingers. Ropes sprang out of thin air and wrapped themselves tightly around Harry, then he snapped again and another set wrapped around Alfred.

"HEY! NOT COOL I'M THE HERO!"

"You're too nosy to live, Potter, Jones. Scurrying around the school on Halloween like that, for all I knew you'd seen me coming to look at what was guarding the Stone. "

"You let the troll in?"

"Certainly. I have a special gift with trolls - you must have seen what I did to the one in the chamber back there? Unfortunately, while everyone else was running around looking for it, Snape, who already suspected me, went straight to the third floor to head me off - and not only did my troll fail to beat you to death, that three-headed dog didn't even manage to bite Snape's leg off properly.

"Ever notice how the villain always tells his WHOLE plot when he thinks he's gunna win?" Alfred whispered to Harry, who slowly nodded.

"Now, wait quietly, Potter, Jones. I need to examine this interesting mirror." It was only then that Harry realized what was standing behind Quirrell. It was the Mirror of Erised.

"HAHAHA~! What's so freakin' special about a freakin' mirror?" Alfred laughed loudly, falling over due to being tied up.

"ow."

"This mirror is the key to finding the Stone," Quirrell murmured, a bit annoyed, tapping his way around the frame. "Trust Dumbledore to come up with something like this... But he's in London... I'll be far away by the time he gets back... "

All Harry could think of doing was to keep Quirrell talking and stop him from concentrating on the mirror; Seemed like Alfred was thinking the same thing. "I saw you and Snape in the forest - - " he blurted out.

"Yes," said Quirrell idly, walking around the mirror to look at the back. "He was on to me by that time, trying to find out how far I'd got. He suspected me all along. Tried to frighten me - as though he could, when I had Lord Voldemort on my side... "

"Is it possible to get a star stuck in your head?" Alfred asked curiously, it actually sounded like that's what he wanted to say.

"no." Quirrell said annoyed at the change of subject.

"Why does everyone say that? I mean Iggy totally had a badass star stuck in his head I eve-." Alfred began but All Harry and Quirrell began to hear was 'Blah Blah Blah'.

"Silencio!" Quirrell shouted, pointing his wand at Alfred.

"!" Alfred looked pissed.

Quirrell came back out from behind the mirror and stared hungrily into it.

"I see the Stone... I'm presenting it to my master... But where is it?" Harry struggled against the ropes binding him, but they didn't give. He had to keep Quirrell from giving his whole attention to the mirror.

"But Snape always seemed to hate me so much."

"Oh, he does," said Quirrell casually, "heavens, yes. He was at Hogwarts with your father, didn't you know? They loathed each other. But he never wanted you dead."

"But I heard you a few days ago, sobbing - I thought Snape was threatening you..."

For the first time, a spasm of fear flitted across Quirrell's face. "Sometimes," he said, "I find it hard to follow my master's instructions - he is a great wizard and I am weak - -"

Alfred was on the floor wiggling to stand back up.

"You mean he was there in the classroom with you?" Harry gasped. "He is with me wherever I go." said Quirrell quietly. "I met him when I traveled around the world. A foolish young man I was then, full of ridiculous ideas about good and evil. Lord Voldemort showed me how wrong I was. There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it... Since then, I have served him faithfully, although I have let him down many times. He has had to be very hard on me."

Alfred was really pissed off now.

Quirrell shivered suddenly. "He does not forgive mistakes easily. When I failed to steal the stone from Gringotts, he was most displeased. He punished me... Decided he would have to keep a closer watch on me..." Quirrell's voice trailed away.

Harry was remembering his trip to Diagon Alley -how could he have been so stupid? He'd seen Quirrell there that very day, shaken hands with him in the Leaky Cauldron. Quirrell cursed under his breath. "I don't understand... Is the Stone inside the mirror? Should I break it?"

Harry's mind was racing. What I want more than anything else in the world at the moment, he thought, is to find the Stone before Quirrell does. So if I look in the mirror, I should see myself finding it - which means I'll see where it's hidden! But how can I look without Quirrell realizing what I'm up to? He tried to edge to the left, to get in front of the glass without Quirrell noticing, but the ropes around his ankles were too tight: he tripped and fell over, right on top of Alfred, who was even more pissed off, probably because of Quirrell's speech about the good, evil and weak. Quirrell ignored him. He was still talking to himself.

"What does this mirror do? How does it work? Help me, Master!" And to Harry's horror, a voice answered, and the voice seemed to come from Quirrell himself

"Use the boys... Use the boys... "Quirrell rounded on Harry.

"Yes - Jones - come here." He clapped his hands once, and the ropes binding Alfred fell off. Alfred got up slowly to his feet; harry jumped back a bit, Alfred was starting to get creepy, he had a dark aura it seemed.

"Come here," Quirrell repeated. "Look in the mirror and tell me what you see."

Alfred walked over, still not able to talk it seems Quirrell had forgotten, and he looked at the mirror, Alfred looked a bit surprised.

"Well, what do you see?" Quirrell asked.

Alfred death glared at him, Quirrell forgot about the charm, and he now waved his wand for it to come off.

"I see myself…" Alfred began

"Yes?"

'He's really going to tell him?' Harry thought panicked.

"KICKING YOUR FREAKIN' ASS!" Alfred shouted Falcon punching Quirrell across the room.

'That was unexpected.'

"NO ONE! NO ONE! DOES SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO A HERO AND HIS BACKUP! YOU ARE FREAKIN' GOING DOWN!" Alfred shouted, his fists angrily waving.

'Wonder if that's what he really saw?' Harry couldn't help but think to himself.

Quirrell, had enough, He cast Petrificus Totalus, Alfred back flipped with ease.

"That's the best you got?" He shouted.

Quirrell wasn't pleased, he kept firing the spell, and about twenty times of wild aim it finally hit Alfred, when it did Alfred was in mid-air so he fell to the ground with a thud.

"Come here boy!" Obviously Quirrell had run out of patience and called Harry, flicking his wand and the ropes fell off. Harry walked toward him. I must lie, he thought desperately. He wouldn't be able to do what Alfred had just done.

I must look and lie about what I see, that's all. Quirrell moved close behind him. Harry breathed in the funny smell that seemed to come from Quirrell's turban. He closed his eyes, stepped in front of the mirror, and opened them again. He saw his reflection, pale and scared-looking at first. But a moment later, the reflection smiled at him. It put its hand into its pocket and pulled out a blood-red stone. It winked and put the Stone back in its pocket- and as it did so, Harry felt something heavy drop into his real pocket. Somehow - incredibly - he'd gotten the Stone.

"Well?" said Quirrell impatiently. "What do you see?"

Harry screwed up his courage. "I see myself shaking hands with Dumbledore," he invented. "I - I've won the house cup for Gryffindor."

Quirrell cursed again. "Get out of the way," he said. As Harry moved aside, he felt the Sorcerer's Stone against his leg. Dare he make a break for it? He wouldn't be able to until he helped Alfred, who was frozen with a 'Oh no you didn't' pissed off look on his face. But he hadn't walked five paces before a high voice spoke, though Quirrell wasn't moving his lips.

"He lies... He lies... "

"Potter, come back here!" Quirrell shouted. "Tell me the truth! What did you just see?"

The high voice spoke again. "Let me speak to him... Face-to-face..."

"Master, you are not strong enough!"

"I have strength enough... For this... "Harry felt as if Devil's Snare was rooting him to the spot. He couldn't move a muscle. Petrified, he watched as Quirrell reached up and began to unwrap his turban. What was going on? The turban fell away. Quirrell's head looked strangely small without it. Then he turned slowly on the spot. Harry would have screamed, but he couldn't make a sound Alfred might have screamed, but he was frozen. Where there should have been a back to Quirrell's head, there was a face, the most terrible face Harry had ever seen. It was chalk white with glaring red eyes and slits for nostrils, like a snake.

"Harry Potter..." it whispered. Harry tried to take a step backward but his legs wouldn't move.

"See what I have become?" the face said. "Mere shadow and vapor... I have form only when I can share another's body... But there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds... Unicorn blood has strengthened me, these past weeks... You saw faithful Quirrell drinking it for me in the forest... And once I have the Elixir of Life, I will be able to create a body of my own... Now... Why don't you give me that Stone in your pocket?"

So he knew. The feeling suddenly surged back into Harry's legs. He stumbled backward.

"Don't be a fool, " snarled the face. "Better save your own life and join me... Or you'll meet the same end as your parents... They died begging me for mercy..."

"LIAR!" Harry shouted suddenly.

Quirrell was walking backward at him, so that Voldemort could still see him. The evil face was now smiling. "How touching..." it hissed. "I always value bravery... Yes, boy, your parents were brave... I killed your father first; and he put up a courageous fight... But your mother needn't have died... She was trying to protect you... Now give me the Stone, unless you want her to have died in vain. "

"NEVER!" Harry sprang toward the flame door, but Voldemort screamed "SEIZE HIM!" and the next second, Harry felt Quirrell's hand close on his wrist. At once, a needle-sharp pain seared across Harry's scar; his head felt as though it was about to split in two; he yelled, struggling with all his might, and to his surprise, Quirrell let go of him. Alfred was on the floor trying hard to move. The pain in his head lessened - he looked around wildly to see where Quirrell had gone, and saw him hunched in pain, looking at his fingers - they were blistering before his eyes. "Seize him! SEIZE HIM!" shrieked Voldemort again, and Quirrell lunged, knocking Harry clean off his feet landing on top of him, both hands around Harry's neck - Harry's scar was almost blinding him with pain, yet he could see Quirrell howling in agony.

"Master, I cannot hold him - my hands - my hands!" And Quirrell, though pinning Harry to the ground with his knees, let go of his neck and stared, bewildered, at his own palms - Harry could see they looked burned, raw, red, and shiny.

"Then kill him, fool, and be done!" screeched Voldemort.

Quirrell raised his hand to perform a deadly curse, but Harry, by instinct, reached up and grabbed Quirrell's face -"AAAARGH!" Quirrell rolled off him, his face blistering, too, and then Harry knew: Quirrell couldn't touch his bare skin, not without suffering terrible pain - his only chance was to keep hold of Quirrell, keep him in enough pain to stop him from doing a curse. Harry jumped to his feet, caught Quirrell by the arm, and hung on as tight as he could. Quirrell screamed and tried to throw Harry off - the pain in Harry's head was building - he couldn't see - he could only hear Quirrell's terrible shrieks and Voldemort's yells of, "KILL HIM! KILL HIM!" He could hear Alfred's muffled voice, and other voices, maybe in Harry's own head, crying, "Harry! Harry!"* He felt Quirrell's arm wrenched from his grasp, knew all was lost, and fell into blackness, down... Down... Down... Something gold was glinting just above him. The Snitch! He tried to catch it, but his arms were too heavy. He blinked. It wasn't the Snitch at all. It was a pair of glasses. How strange.

He blinked again. The smiling face of Albus Dumbledore swam into view above him. "Good afternoon, Harry," said Dumbledore.

Harry stared at him. Then he remembered: "Sir! The Stone! It was Quirrell! He's got the Stone! Sir, quick - -"

"Calm yourself, dear boy, you are a little behind the times," said Dumbledore. "Quirrell does not have the Stone."

"Then who does? Sir, I - -"

"Harry, please relax, or Madam Pomfrey will have me thrown out. Harry swallowed and looked around him. He realized he must be in the hospital wing. He was lying in a bed with white linen sheets, and next to him was a table piled high with what looked like half the candy shop.

"Tokens from your friends and admirers," said Dumbledore, beaming. "What happened down in the dungeons between you and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows. I believe your friends Misters Fred and George Weasley were responsible for trying to send you a toilet seat. No doubt they thought it would amuse you. Madam Pomfrey, however, felt it might not be very hygienic, and confiscated it."

"How long have I been in here?"

"Three days. Mr. Ronald Weasley, Mr. Alfred Jones, Mr. Matthew Williams and Miss Granger will be most relieved you have come round, they have been extremely worried. "

"But sit, the Stone!"

"I see you are not to be distracted. Very well, the Stone. Professor Quirrell did not manage to take it from you. I arrived in time to prevent that, although you were doing very well on your own, I must say. Mr. Jones also seemed to be doin quite well, despite the fact he couldn't move."

"You got there? You got Hermione's owl?"

"We must have crossed in midair. No sooner had I reached London than it became clear to me that the place I should be was the one I had just left. I arrived just in time to pull Quirrell off you."

"It was you."

"I feared I might be too late."

"You nearly were, I couldn't have kept him off the Stone much longer - -"

"Not the Stone, boy, you - the effort involved nearly killed you. For one terrible moment there, I was afraid it had. As for the Stone, it has been destroyed."

"Destroyed?" said Harry blankly. "But your friend - Nicolas Flamel - -"

"Oh, you know about Nicolas?" said Dumbledore, sounding quite delighted. "You did do the thing properly, didn't you? Well, Nicolas and I have had a little chat, and agreed it's all for the best hopefully our old acquaintance won't mind either. "

"But that means he and his wife will die, won't they?"

"They have enough Elixir stored to set their affairs in order and then, yes, they will die."Dumbledore smiled at the look of amazement on Harry's face. "To one as young as you, I'm sure it seems incredible, but to Nicolas and Perenelle, it really is like going to bed after a very, very long day. After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure. You know, the Stone was really not such a wonderful thing. As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings would choose above all - the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them."

Harry lay there, lost for words. Dumbledore hummed a little and smiled at the ceiling. "Sir?" said Harry. "I've been thinking... Sir - even if the Stone's gone, Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who - -"

"Call him Voldemort, Harry. Always use the proper name for things. Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself."

"Yes, sir. Well, Voldemort's going to try other ways of coming back, isn't he? I mean, he hasn't gone, has he?"

"No, Harry, he has not. He is still out there somewhere, perhaps looking for another body to share... Not being truly alive, he cannot be killed. He left Quirrell to die; he shows just as little mercy to his followers as his enemies. Nevertheless, Harry, while you may only have delayed his return to power, it will merely take someone else who is prepared to fight what seems a losing battle next time - and if he is delayed again, and again, why, he may never return to power."

Harry nodded, but stopped quickly, because it made his head hurt. Then he said, "Sir, there are some other things I'd like to know, if you can tell me... Things I want to know the truth about... "

"The truth." Dumbledore sighed. "It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution. However, I shall answer your questions unless I have a very good reason not to, in which case I beg you'll forgive me. I shall not, of course, lie."

"Well... Voldemort said that he only killed my mother because she tried to stop him from killing me. But why would he want to kill me in the first place?"

Dumbledore sighed very deeply this time. "Alas, the first thing you ask me, I cannot tell you. Not today. Not now. You will know, one day...

"And you said something about an acquaintance not minding about the stone?" Harry asked.

"Alas, that as well I cannot tell you about, mainly because I as well have no answer." Dumbledore said chuckling.

Put it from your mind for now, Harry. When you are older... I know you hate to hear this... When you are ready, you will know." Dumbledore said, referring to both questions.

And Harry knew it would be no good to argue. "But why couldn't Quirrell touch me?"

"Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn't realize that love as powerful as your mother's for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign... To have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed, and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good." Dumbledore replied.

Dumbledore now became very interested in a bird out on the windowsill, which gave Harry time to dry his eyes on the sheet. When he had found his voice again, Harry said, "And the invisibility cloak - do you know who sent it to me?"

"Ah - your father happened to leave it in my possession, and I thought you might like it." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Useful things... Your father used it mainly for sneaking off to the kitchens to steal food when he was here. "

"And there's something else... "

"Fire away. "

"Quirrell said Snape - - "

"Professor Snape, Harry."

"Yes, him - Quirrell said he hates me because he hated my father. Is that true?"

"Well, they did rather detest each other. Not unlike yourself and Mr. Malfoy. And then, your father did something Snape could never forgive."

"What?"

"He saved his life."

"What?"

"Yes... " said Dumbledore dreamily. "Funny, the way people's minds work, isn't it? Professor Snape couldn't bear being in your father's debt... I do believe he worked so hard to protect you this year because he felt that would make him and your father even. Then he could go back to hating your father's memory in peace... "

Harry suddenly had a question; "Do you know why Alfred has… Superhuman strength?"

Dumbledore chuckled, "Professor McGonagall told me about the Christmas tree, quite amusing actually; maybe that is something he will tell you when the time comes, I myself have no idea where that Strength comes from. Dumbledore chuckled again; "He had obviously good intentions though, him and his brother."

Harry was about to nod in agreement, but didn't because his head hurt. "And sir, there's one more thing... "

"Just the one?"

"How did I get the Stone out of the mirror?"

"Ah, now, I'm glad you asked me that. It was one of my more brilliant ideas, and between you and me, that's saying something. You see, only one who wanted to find the Stone - find it, but not use it – would be able to get it, otherwise they'd just see themselves making gold or drinking Elixir of Life. My brain surprises even me sometimes... Now, enough questions. I suggest you make a start on these sweets. Ah! Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans! I was unfortunate enough in my youth to come across a vomit flavored one, and since then I'm afraid I've rather lost my liking for them - but I think I'll be safe with a nice toffee, don't you?" He smiled and popped the golden-brown bean into his mouth.

Then he choked and said, "Alas! Ear wax!"

Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, was a nice woman, but very strict. "Just five minutes," Harry pleaded. "Absolutely not."

"You let Professor Dumbledore in..."

"Well, of course, that was the headmaster, quite different. You need rest. "

"I am resting, look, lying down and everything. Oh, go on, Madam Pomfrey..."

"Oh, very well," she said. "But five minutes only."

And she let Ron, Alfred, Matthew and Hermione in.

"Harry!" Hermione looked ready to fling her arms around him again, but Harry was glad she held herself in as his head was still very sore.

"Oh, Harry, we were sure you were going to - Dumbledore was so worried - - "

"The whole school's talking about it, " said Ron.

"You alright eh?"

"Dude, if something happens like that again, I'm gunna freakin' punch whoever it is through the wall!" Alfred said, seemed he was still pissed for being frozen and silenced.

"What really happened?"

It was one of those rare occasions when the true story is even more strange and exciting than the wild rumors. Harry told them everything: Quirrell; the mirror; the Stone; Alfred's Falcon Punch (HAHAHA~! But seriously he pissed me off.) And Voldemort. Ron, Matthew and Hermione were a very good audience; they gasped in all the right places, and when Harry told them what was under Quirrell's turban, Hermione screamed out loud. Matthew looked shocked.

"So the Stone's gone?" said Ron finally. "Flamel's just going to die?"

"That's what I said, but Dumbledore thinks that - what was it? - 'to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure."

"I always said he was off his rocker," said Ron, looking quite impressed at how crazy his hero was.

"So what happened to you tw-three?" said Harry noticing Matthew sink in his seat a little.

"Well, I got back all right, " said Hermione. "Matthew and myself brought Ron round - that took a while - and we were dashing up to the owlery to contact Dumbledore when we met him in the entrance hall - he already knew- he just said, 'Harry's gone after him, hasn't he?' and hurtled off to the third floor."

"D'you think he meant you to do it?" said Ron. "Sending you your father's cloak and everything?"

"Well,"

Hermione exploded, "if he did - I mean to say that's terrible - you could have been killed."

"WHAT KIND OF HERO PUTS PEOPLE IN DAN-." Alfred was going to explode as well, clearly still pissed off.

"No, it isn't," said Harry thoughtfully. "He's a funny man, Dumbledore. I think he sort of wanted to give me a chance. I think he knows more or less everything that goes on here, you know. I reckon he had a pretty good idea we were going to try, and instead of stopping us, he just taught us enough to help. I don't think it was an accident he let me find out how the mirror worked. It's almost like he thought I had the right to face Voldemort if I could..."

"Yeah, Dumbledore's off his rocker, all right," said Ron proudly. "Listen, you've got to be up for the end-of-year feast tomorrow. The points are all in and Slytherin won, of course - you missed the last Quidditch match, we were steamrollered by Ravenclaw without you - but the food'll be good."

At that moment, Madam Pomfrey bustled over. "You've had nearly fifteen minutes, now OUT" she said firmly.

After a good night's sleep, Harry felt nearly back to normal.

"I want to go to the feast," he told Madam Pomfrey as she straightened his many candy boxes. "I can, can't I?"

"Professor Dumbledore says you are to be allowed to go," she said stiffly, as though in her opinion Professor Dumbledore didn't realize how risky feasts could be.

"And you have another visitor."

"Oh, good," said Harry.

"Who is it?" Hagrid sidled through the door as he spoke. As usual when he was indoors, Hagrid looked too big to be allowed. He sat down next to Harry, took one look at him, and burst into tears. "It's - all - my - ruddy - fault!" he sobbed, his face in his hands. I told the evil git how ter get past Fluffy! I told him! It was the only thing he didn't know, an' I told him! Yeh could've died! All fer a dragon egg! I'll never drink again! I should be chucked out an' made ter live as a Muggle!"

"Hagrid!" said Harry, shocked to see Hagrid shaking with grief and remorse, great tears leaking down into beard. "Hagrid, he'd have found out somehow, this is Voldemort we're talking about, he'd have found out even if you hadn't told him."

"Yeh could've died!" sobbed Hagrid. "An' don' say the name!"

"VOLDEMORT!" Harry bellowed, and Hagrid was so shocked, he stopped crying. "I've met him and I'm calling him by his name. Please cheer up, Hagrid, we saved the Stone, it's gone, he can't use it. Have a Chocolate Frog, I've got loads... "

Hagrid wiped his nose on the back of his hand and said, "That reminds me. I've got yeh a present. "

"It's not a stoat sandwich, is it?" said Harry anxiously, and at last Hagrid gave a weak chuckle. "Nah. Dumbledore gave me the day off yesterday ter fix it. 'Course, he shoulda sacked me instead - anyway, got yeh this..."

It seemed to be a handsome, leather-covered book. Harry opened it curiously. It was full of wizard photographs. Smiling and waving at him from every page were his mother and father.

"Sent owls off ter all yer parents' old school friends, askin' fer photos... Knew yeh didn' have any... D'yeh like it?" Harry couldn't speak, but Hagrid understood. Harry made his way down to the end-of-year feast alone that night. He had been held up by Madam Pomfrey's fussing about, insisting on giving him one last checkup, so the Great Hall was already full. It was decked out in the Slytherin colors of green and silver to celebrate Slytherin's winning the house cup for the seventh year in a row. A huge banner showing the Slytherin serpent covered the wall behind the High Table. When Harry walked in there was a sudden hush, and then everybody started talking loudly at once.

He slipped into a seat between Ron and Hermione, Across from Alfred and Matthew (who insisted on sitting at the Gryffindor table, nobody had minded) at the Gryffindor table and tried to ignore the fact that people were standing up to look at him. Fortunately, Dumbledore arrived moments later. The babble died away.

"Another year gone!" Dumbledore said cheerfully. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were... You have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts... "Now, as I understand it, the house cup here needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy-two."

A storm of cheering and stamping broke out from the Slytherin table. Harry could see Draco Malfoy banging his goblet on the table. It was a sickening sight.

"Yes, Yes, well done, Slytherin, " said Dumbledore. "However, recent events must be taken into account."

The room went very still. The Slytherins' smiles faded a little.

"Ahem," said Dumbledore. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes... "First - to Mr. Ronald Weasley... "

Ron went purple in the face; he looked like a radish with a bad sunburn.

"... For the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house forty points."

Gryffindor cheers nearly raised the bewitched ceiling; the stars overhead seemed to quiver. Percy could be heard telling the other prefects, "My brother, you know! My youngest brother! Got past McGonagall's giant chess set!"

At last there was silence again. "Second - to Miss Hermione Granger... For the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house forty points." Hermione buried her face in her arms; Harry strongly suspected she had burst into tears.

"To Alfred Jones, Knowing when to use force, and when to apply it, I award Gryffindor 10 points."

Alfred sat up a bit straighter, grinning.

"To Matthew Williams, ('who's that' voices murmured through the halls) For staying by his friend's side till the very end, I award Gryffindor 10 points.

Gryffindors up and down the table were beside themselves - they were a hundred points up.

"Third - to Mr. Harry Potter..." said Dumbledore.

The room went deadly quiet.

"for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points."

Those who could add up while yelling themselves hoarse knew that Gryffindor now had four hundred and seventy-two points - exactly the same as Slytherin. They had tied for the house cup - if only Dumbledore had given Harry just one more point. Dumbledore raised his hand. The room gradually fell silent.

"There are all kinds of courage," said Dumbledore, smiling. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom."

Someone standing outside the Great Hall might well have thought some sort of explosion had taken place, so loud was the noise that erupted from the Gryffindor table. Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood up to yell and cheer as Neville, white with shock, disappeared under a pile of people hugging him, Alfred was shouting; "Neville awesome job dude! And Matthew was smiling. Neville had never won so much as a point for Gryffindor before. Harry, still cheering, nudged Ron in the ribs and pointed at Malfoy, who couldn't have looked more stunned and horrified if he'd just had the Body-Bind Curse put on him.

"Which means," Dumbledore called over the storm of applause, for even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were celebrating the downfall of Slytherin, "we need a little change of decoration."

He clapped his hands. In an instant, the green hangings became scarlet and the silver became gold; the huge Slytherin serpent vanished and a towering Gryffindor lion took its place. Snape was shaking Professor McGonagall's hand, with a horrible, forced smile. He caught Harry's eye and Harry knew at once that Snape's feelings toward him hadn't changed one jot. This didn't worry Harry. It seemed as though life would be back to normal next year, or as normal as it ever was at Hogwarts. It was the best evening of Harry's life, better than winning at Quidditch, or Christmas, or knocking out mountain trolls... He would never, ever forget tonight.

Harry had almost forgotten that the exam results were still to come, but come they did. To their great surprise, both he and Ron passed with good marks; Hermione, of course, had the best grades of the first years. Even Neville scraped through, his good Herbology mark making up for his abysmal Potions one. They had hoped that Goyle, who was almost as stupid as he was mean, might be thrown out, but he had passed, too. It was a shame, but as Ron said, you couldn't have everything in life. And suddenly, their wardrobes were empty, their trunks were packed, Neville's toad was found lurking in a corner of the toilets; notes were handed out to all students, warning them not to use magic over the holidays ("I always hope they'll forget to give us these, " said Fred Weasley sadly); Hagrid was there to take them down to the fleet of boats that sailed across the lake; they were boarding the Hogwarts Express; talking and laughing as the countryside became greener and tidier; eating Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans as they sped past Muggle towns; pulling off their wizard robes and putting on jackets and coats; pulling into platform nine and three-quarters at King's Cross Station. It took quite a while for them all to get off the platform.

A wizened old guard was up by the ticket barrier, letting them go through the gate in twos and threes so they didn't attract attention by all bursting out of a solid wall at once and alarming the Muggles.

"You must come and stay this summer," said Ron, "all of you - I'll send you an owl. "

"Thanks, " said Harry, "I'll need something to look forward to. " People jostled them as they moved forward toward the gateway back to the Muggle world.

Some of them called: "Bye, Harry!"

"See you, Potter!"

"Still famous, " said Ron, grinning at him. "Not where I'm going, I promise you," said Harry. He, Ron, and Hermione passed through the gateway together.

"There he is, Mom, there he is, look!" It was Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister, but she wasn't pointing at Ron.

"Harry Potter!" she squealed. "Look, Mom! I can see"

"Be quiet, Ginny, and it's rude to point. "Mrs. Weasley smiled down at them. "Busy year?" she said.

"Very," said Harry. "Thanks for the fudge and the sweater, Mrs. Weasley."

"Oh, it was nothing, dear. "

"Ready, are you?" it was Uncle Vernon, still purple-faced, still mustached, still looking furious at the nerve of Harry, carrying an owl in a cage in a station full of ordinary people. Behind him stood Aunt Petunia and Dudley, looking terrified at the very sight of Harry.

"You must be Harry's family!" said Mrs. Weasley.

"In a manner of speaking," said Uncle Vernon. "Hurry up, boy, we haven't got all day." He walked away. Harry hung back for a last word with Ron and Hermione.

"See you over the summer, then."

"Dude, if he gives you any trouble me and Mattie will come… teach them a lesson American style~!"

"Just nothing violent eh?"

"Hope you have - er - a good holiday," said Hermione, looking uncertainly after Uncle Vernon, shocked that anyone could be so unpleasant.

"Oh, I will," said Harry, and they were surprised at the grin that was spreading over his face. "They don't know we're not allowed to use magic at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer..."

"Oh wait!" Hermione said.

"What?" Harry asked confused.

Hermione turned to Alfred, hands on her hips.

"You still didn't answer my question."

"What question?"

*This is actually meaning two things now* (maybe in Harry's own head, crying, "Harry! Harry!"* - that part lol)

THE END YAY~! I shall continue into the next book~! It will be a new story though (I'm not adding the next story into this one) I will have to think of another title.

Hope you liked the ending lol~!

Expect the new story possibly today, because I don't think I have anything to do, Tuesday, because I have no school (Eye appointment and dentist in the same day both during school hours) Or Wednesday… getting braces… Again…I'm torn from shouting HOORAY~! And HOLY CRAPOLA!


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